PRECEDENT OF FEMALE PERFECTION.  
Presented to the serious Meditation and perusal of all modest WOMEN, who desire to live under the Government of Virtue, and are obedient to her Laws.  
Containing an Historical discourse of the Best and pincipallest for Holiness and Virtue of that SEX.  
Illustrated with sundry Poems and Figures, pertinent to the Story.  
By a Person of Honour.  — Luke 1.28. 
Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.  
LONDON, Printed by J. L. and are to be old by Austin Rice, at the Three Hearts in St Paul's Churchyard, near the West end. 1656.   

TO THE MOST Happy Mistress of all imaginable Graces, which beautify and ennoble both body and mind, the Lady Theophila Coke.  
Madame,  
MY Motives for the Dedication of this ensuing Treatise to your Ladyship, are three; your Knowledge, your Virtue, and my own Obligation. For the first; as it is to you a singular Ornament, and Content, so is it to me a special comfort; for you cannot delight more to understand, than I do to be understood. Had I written to your Ladyship in the Roman Language, the French, the Italian, or the Spanish, they had been almost as familiar to you as this your native Tongue, in which you are Mistress of so great an Elegancy, that no words are so fit as your own, to eternize your own actions. But these are only the conveyances of Learning, the vast body whereof you have fathomed, and in every several part of it are Mistress of as much, as the want of an Academic education, and the manifold divertments incident to your sex, permit. And of this inestimable treasure, Modesty keeps the key, and shuts out Ostentation, not suffering a word to issue forth without a Grace to attend it. Hence it comes to pass, that as it is impossible to handle perfumes without bearing away part of their ●ent; so to converse with you without savouring of your goodness. Nor does your Discourse a●one relish of your sweet Disposition; for you read not of a virtue, which you forthwith put not into ●ct, & add to it a greater beauty, than it had in the example from which you derived it. The consideration, Madam, of these your Excellencies confirmed in me a belief, th●● this portraiture (thought imperfect) of the prim●● Precedent of female Perfection, would prove Present most acceptabl● to your Ladyship, 〈◊〉 whose innocency yo● make as near an approach as any thing mortal ca● do. Should I say yo● are without sin, 〈◊〉 should impiously contradict the Scriptures; should I say you have any, I should unjustly go against mine own knowledge; for neither I, nor I think, Envy herself could ever yet discover in you the least imperfection. Sure I am if you have infirmities, they are intestate, unless you place your own Conscience for a witness, which it will not better become come to judge itself, than it will do my Charity to clear it. Nor is this purity of yours froward and formal, but gentle, free and communicative. You show the world that there is a christian freedom, o● which we may lawfully partake. By your fair Demeanour you clearly demonstrate, that sanctity may be without Austerity, and virtue securely sociable, and that she is more fruitful in society, than in solitude. This testimony, Madam, Truth, and the people (whose Register I am) commanded me to give You, and commend to Posterity. I cannot descend to such baseness, as to flatter you, yet (if I should,) would not you be flattered, who are like a sweet Instrument, that sends forth a delightful sound without being sensible of its own Harmony. No, no, heaven forbidden my lines should be like those Sacrifices, out of which they used to pluck the heart, but leave the tongue behind. I seriously protest, that if you were Empress of the World, and were with all as eminent in Vice, as you are in Virtue, I would not give you the least praise in exchange for all your large possessions; for no gold shall ever win me to gild sin. And I freely confess that if within the large circuit of my Conversation, or Reading, I could have found a feminine Example, fairer than your own, to her perusal, if living, I had commended this Treatise, if dead, had bequeathed it to her memory. Such a prostituted Eloquence, as made Apologies for Messalina, and Quartilla, are to me odious. But we must warily distinguish between a gross Flattery, and a due Praise; the latter of which, 
Plinius secundus in Epist.  saith Pliny, no man contemneth till he hath left to do things praiseworthy. As we cannot over-worship the true Deity, so we cannot over-praise a true Piety. It only now resteth, that I offer up to your Ladyship, two Petitions; the first of which is, that you would vouchsafe to permit this Book, under your gracious Patronage, to do that where you are not, which you perform where you are; that is, to confirm the good, and convert the bad. The next is, that your Ladyship would be pleased to accept of my submissive Gratitude which, though great, can be no way proportionable to the infinity of you favours. These I would endeavour here to sum up, were I not deterred from the attempt by Impossibility, and your no blessed Nature, to which nothing is more displeasing, than thanks for an old 〈◊〉, nothing more pleasing, than the conferring of a new. I choose therefore rather to be argued of Ingratitude, than of offending your Ladyship, whose service next to that of GOD, I justly glory in, it being the only Honour now left,  
Your Ladyship's most humble, loyal Servant, ANTH. STAFFORD.   

To the Feminine READER.  
You are here presented by an extreme Honourer of your sex, with a Mirror of Female perfection. It is not a Glass wherein a Babe, a Fool, or a Monster may see itself, as well as you. By this you cannot curl your hairs, fill up your wrinkles, and so alter your looks, that Nature who made you, knows you no more, but utterly forgets her own Workmanship. By this you cannot lay spots on your faces, but take them out of your souls, you may. By this you cannot compose your Countenances, but your Minds you shall, and give them a never fading Beauty. In this you may discern all Virtues, and all Graces at their full growth Here you may discover Charity distributing, Temperancy abstaining, Patience suffering, Humanity yielding, Chastity resisting, Valour combating, and Prudency assisting all these. Here any ornament v●ts already have you may better▪ and any you have not, you may ●ur ●●●e at the easy rate of reading and imitating. Here you may learn to transform your ugly Vices into as amiable Virtues. This Glass will not flatter you nor if you be angry with it for showing your Deformities, can you break it. Both the matter, and the reflections here are all internal, and therefore not tangible. This is she, whose Emblem ingenious Antiquity made an Unicorn, laying his head in the lap of a Virgin. This is the fair tree, whose lovely fruit once tasted, expels not for a time only, but for ever the venom of the most deadly sins. This is she, who was on Earth a Confirmer of the good, and a reformer of the reprobate. All her Visitants were but so many Converts, whose bad affections, and erroneous opinions, the sweetness of her discourse had rectified The Leprosy of sin was her daily cure, and they (whom vice had blinded) were by her restored to their inward sight, and their prostrate souls adored divine, Majestical virtue, residing in this sacred Temple. The conference with her raised them above themselves, and enfranchised their souls till then, chained to their bodies. The knowledge of her, humbled the most proud natures, for the lustre of her Merits, rendered their own obscure. O make the emulation of this chaste Turtle your only study! and not in words only, but in deeds also show yourselves Proficients; for Virtue's meditated, and not acted, do but puff us up the more, we easily believing, that we are what we resolve to be. On this, ground your belief, that she amongst you who shall constant tread in her paths, shall at length arrive at the Celestial Paradi● which now she inhibits, and 〈◊〉 receive this salutation, not from an Angel, but from God himself; Welcome thou fair soul, full of Grace, enter into the Glory, I have prepared fo● thee.   

To the Masculine READER.  
FOr to you also (though of a different sex) this book belongs, to whom the sacred subject of it brought the same eternal benefit, she did to her own kind. Neither doth she only require your Gratitude, but your Imitation, whose meanest perfection fare excels all your so long vaunted masculine merits. I doubt not but by the more, and less knowing o● you, I shall be diversely judged. The first will argue me of indiscretion in that I chose not a Matter of a higher nature whereby to make a demonstration of my sufficiency. To these I shape this answer, that my Invention could not soar higher, for whether we regard her person, or her divine G fts, she is in Dignity next God himself. There is nothing of so sublime a strain as Virtue, which enters Heaven, when Subtlety and Curiosity are justly excluded. It is virtue must save us; for in knowledge the Devil himself fare exceeds us There is no Argument, as I take it, so important, or concerns us so much as that of our salvation. These men would have me busy myself in the Physics, to find out of what, not wherefore I am made: Or in the Mathematics, to learn how fare it is to Heaven, not how to come thither: Or in Divinity, to be inquisitive whether or not Christ's miraculous feeding of so many, w● by augmentation, or multiplication of the Loaves an● Fishes: Whether or no the● who were born with sight, afterwards lost it, being restored to it again by Christ, sa● better after the Cure, tha● they did before their blindness; And whether or no th● Dead, who risen with our Saviour, ascended with him, o● were again reduced to dust To these needless acute follies 〈◊〉 not. How many are there now in Hell, who while they lived here, were esteemed the Organs of the Sciences, the Temples of Wisdom, nay Oracles, as if they had been formed in Heaven, and sent down hither full fraught with Gods own secrets, yet now detest their former vain Knowledge, as much as the Darkness they lived in? But in this kingdom of Woe and Horror, none of virtue's subjects ever resided. Let them therefore censure on, they shall not so much as shake my security; for I know it fares with universal Learning, as with the Universe, wherein there are more Delinquents then judges. The opinions of these can well tolerate, because they proceed from Science, though erroneous But there are some whom I have heard to pass their casting verdicts on the most meriting Authors, who deserve themselves to be hanged for so often violating their own mother tongue, did not their ignorance plead their pardon. Let these poor wretched things, who what they hear in the last company, vent for their own in the next, share amongst them my scorn, and pity, as being far below my anger. I am not ignorant that he who fears the pale meager Family of the Zoili, must only write to his own Lar. If to the truly virtuous, the truly understanding, I can approve these my humble endeavours, and draw any one soul, but one degree nearer to goodness, my holy ambition, and my no small labour shall receive an ample satisfaction.  
It now remains that as to these latter, I seek to approve all my actions, so to them likewise essay to justify thi● present work. I am the firs● (to my knowledge) who hath written in our vulgar tongu● on this our blesled Virgin drawn thereto I confess b● the strength rather of affection, than of ability. Yet with all I profess that I am her admirer, not her Idolater, and that I no way allow of thei● profane custom, who robb● God of his Honour, and bestow it on her. But this I wil● say, that though I impure no● the late troubles and affliction of the Protestant party in Germany, to the small reverence there paid her (many of God's judgements according to Saint Austin, being secret, none unjust) yet truly I believe that the undervaluing of one so great, and dear in Christ's esteem, cannot but be displeasing to him, and that the more we ascribe to her (setting Invocation apart) the more gracious we appear in his fight. I have been as cautious in the penning of this Treatise, as possibly I could, and (in imitation) of Virtues own self) have kept the mean. But all pretenders to Divinity know, that without the help of Ecclesiastical History, we can speak little of her life, or death, so sparing is the holy Writ in the mention of her. The scholastical and Ecclesiastical Writers inserted in this Book to trust, or distrust too much, is alike erroneous, and therefore I refer all to the discretion of the Reader. I will only add this; that since the finishing of this story, I have read a book of the now Bishop of Chichester, entitled Apparatus, etc. and am glad to find that I have not digressed from him in any one particular. I conclude with this protestation, that if I have swerved in any the least point from the tenants received in the English Church, I shall be most ready to acknowledge myself a true Penitent. Farewell.   

Meditationes poeticae & Christianae in annunciationem beatae Virginis, W. A.  

Aue Maria.  
GAvisa es quondam, perque omnia secula gaude,  
Omnia quae gaudI secula tempus habet.  
Stipasti quae laetitia castum aluear alui.  
Aequum est laetitiae mella ut in aure bibas.  
Tu gaudI verbum peperisti, & dicit Avete  
Omnibus: atque omnis terrarevibrat Ave.  
Sed tu salvificum genuisti in secula Salve:  
Nostra eccho nudum nomen honoris, Ave.   

Gratia plena.  
Quam sunt plena suo distenta alvearia melle,  
Quod flore evario Chymica stillat apis:  
Quam plena est adamante suo, teres area gemmae,  
Quae quod non recipit, prensat amore decus:  
Quam plena est radijs solaribus aurea luna,  
Oppositum toto cum bibit orbe jubar:  
Quam plena est Charitum, Charitum modulata chorea,  
Tam plena est decoris virgo Maria Dei.  
Invide quid fontem crispas? mirabile non est  
Si gravida est Charitum, qua gravidata Deo est.   

Dominus tecum.  
Humani lapsum generis sub tristibus umbris  
Luxerat Angelici curia tota chori,  
Et reparari iterum coniuncti numinis ansa  
Virgineo optavit posse videre sinu.  
O homo quam sit grata salus tibi propria! quando  
Angelica exultat turba salute tua.   

Benedicta tu in mulieribus.  
Morborum mors intravit longo ordine mundum,  
Faeminea quondam solicitata manu.  
Sic Charitum Vita intravit longo agmine mundum,  
Faeminea Mariae solicitata fide.  
Fons nobis vitae, vitam pariendo fuisti:  
Nosque erimus laudis fons, benedicta tibi.  
Nam dignum est per quam caepit benedictio vitae,  
 sit prae sexu ter benedicta suo.   

Et benedictus fructus ventris tui.  
Eructasse bonum pleno de pectore verbum,  
Divino sese praedicat ore pater.  
Hoc Christus verbum est, quod de bonitatis abysso,  
Effudit casto virgo Maria sinu.  
Gratum est, & iustum pariter, Benedictio ut ipsa  
Fusa repercusso sit benedicta soon.   

Spiritus sanctus superveniet in te  
 Zephiri teneris ubi sibilat halit●● hortis,  
Dulcis adoratae depluit aura rosae:  
Spiritus at flori tam molliter oscu● libat  
 non virgineos explicet ore sinu●  
Sic Mariam sanctus Deitatis spirit●● afflat:  
Numina & castus flumina fund● onyx.  
Nec tamen aeterni solvit tibi clausti● pudoris:  
Statque tuae implicito culmine turl●● rosae.  
Christum illibata de virgine cre●i●● natum;  
Sic illibato est cortice natus odor.   

Et virtus altissimi obumbrabit tibi Epigramma dissertum.  
 genuit magnum pater extra tempora natum:  
Tempore sic natum virgo Maria brevem.  
Prodijt in mundum sibi par, substantia dispar:  
 sine matre Deus, sic sine patre puer.  
Grande puerperium Deus est: maiusque videtur  
Non eguisse viro, non eguisse Deâ.  
Casta fugit lucem, virgo paritura sub umbrâ:  
Et paritura umbram praestitit ipse Deus.  
O condescensus nova gratia: luminis Author  
Ipse creaturae vertitur umbra suae.  
Vtque invisibilis lucis pater au●●● habetur.  
Sic est visibilis virgo Maria gen●●  
Visurus numen Moses penetravi●●● umbram:  
Tunc Christus numen tunc pa●●● umbra fuit.  
Migremus tenebrae ad lucem, dum●●● mine verso,  
Proque die tenebra est, pro teneb●●● que dies.    

THE GARLAND of the blessed Virgin MARIE.  

HEre, are five letters in this blessed Name,  
Which, changed, a  mystery design,  
The M. the Myrtle, A. the Almonds claim,  
R. Rose, I. Ivy, E. sweet Eglantine.   

These form thy Garland. Whereof Myrtle green,  
The gladdest ground to all the numbred-five  
Is so implexed, and laid in, between,  
As Love, here studied to keep Grace alive.   

The second string is the sweet Almond bloom  
Ymounted high upon Selinis crest:  
As it, alone, (and only it) had room,  
To knit thy Crown, and glorify the rest.   

The third, is from the garden called the Rose,  
The Eye of flowers, worthy, for his scent.  
To top the fairest Lily, now, that grows,  
With wonder on the thorny regiment.   

The fourth is humble Ivy, intersert,  
But lowly laid, as on the earth asleep,  
Preserved, in her antique bed of Vert,  
No faiths more firm, or flat, then, where't do● creep   

But, that which sums all, is the Eglantine,  
Which, of the field is cleped the sweetest brier,  
Inflamed with ardour to that mystic Shine,  
In Moses bush, un-wasted in the fire.   

Thus, Love, and Hope, and burning Charity,  
(Divinest graces) are so intermixed,  
With odorous sweets and soft humility,  
As if they ' adored the Head, whereon theyare fixed.    

THE REVERSE on the back side.  

THese Mysteries do point to three more great,  
On the reverse of this your circling crown,  
All, pouring their full shower of graces down,  
The glorious Trinity in Union met.   

Daughter, and Mother, and the Spouse of GOD,  
Alike of kin, to that most blessed Trine,  
Of Persons, yet in Union (ONE) divine.  
How are thy gifts, and graces blazed abroad!   

Most holy, & pure Virgin, blessed Maid,  
Sweet Tree of Life, King David's Strength and Tower,  
The House of gold, the Gate of heaven's power,  
The Morning star, whose light our Fall hath stayed   

Great Queen of Queens, most mild, most meek, most wise,  
Most venerable. 'Cause of all our joy.  
Whose cheerful look our sadness doth destroy,  
And art the spotless Mirror to Man's eyes.   

The Seat of Sapience, the most lovely Mother,  
And most to be admired of thy Sex,  
Who mad'st us happy all, in thy reflex,  
By bringing forth GOD's only Son, no other.   

Thou Throne of glory, beauteous as the Moon,  
The rosy Morning, or the rising Sun,  
Who like a Giant hasts his course to run,  
Till he hath reached his twofold point of Noon.   

How are thy gifts and graces blazed abroed,  
Through all the lines of this circumference,  
Timprint in all purged hearts this virgin sense  
Of being Daughter, Mother, Spouse of GOD!   B. I.  

A Pannegyricke upon the blessed Virgin MARY.  

What eye dares search the brightness of the Sun?  
What Pencil draw it? what conception  
Is clean enough thy pureness to descry,  
Or strong enough to speak thy Dignity  
Blessed Mother of our Lord, whose happy state,  
None but an Angel's tongue did first relate?  
Thou wert on earth a star most heavenly bright,  
That didst bring forth the Sun that lent thee light.  
An earthly vessel full of heavenly grace,  
That broughst forth life to Adam dying race:  
For God on earth thou wert▪ royal throne,  
The quarry to cut out our corne● stone,  
The chosen cloth to make hi● mortal weed,  
Soil blest with fruit, yet free from mortal seed.  
In marriage bands thou ledst▪ Virgin life,  
And though untouched, become a fruitful wife.  
Though thou to aged joseph wer● assured,  
No carnal love that sacred league procured,  
All vain delights were fare from your assent,  
For chaste by vow you sealed your chast intent.  
Thus God his Paradise to joseph lent,  
Wherein to plant the Tree of life he meant,  
To raise a birth miraculous, and by  
His sacred ways of power disclose that high  
And holy Mystery, which Angels  
(though So full of light) desired to peep into.  
When thou thy Maker didst bring forth, and he  
Whose age had been from all eternity,  
Was borne an Infant from thy blessed womb.  
He lay enclosed in that narrow room,  
Whose greatness heaven & earth could not contain.  
Who made the world, and nature did ordain,  
Was made of thy flesh; he, whose opened hand  
Feeds all the Creatures both by sea and land,  
That even to thee thy life and being lent,  
Did from thy breast receive his nourishment.  
His birth no humane tongues were fit to sing.  
Th' Angelic Choir did greet their newborn King,  
So bright a consort, and so sweet a lay  
Made night more fair and cheerful than the day,  
And little Bethlem with more glory filled,  
Than all the Roman Palaces could yield.  
How wondrous great is then thy happiness  
That wert his Mother? but who can express  
So high a bliss? when we desire to fame  
Some other Maid or virtuous woman's name,  
When we of other Ladies writ the lives,  
Of chaste Maids, happy Mothers, constant Wives,  
Such as best Writers have renowned of yore,  
When we have told their noble virtues o'er,  
We draw examples, and besides their own  
Fair stories, praise them by comparison.  
But in thy life we cannot; thou alone  
Canst not at all admit comparison.  
So far thy happy name and honour lives,  
Above all other Mothers, Maids, or Wives,  
That 'twere a sin, when we thy story tell,  
So much as once to think of Parallel.  
we'll let thee in thine own pure titles live,  
And speak no praise of thee but positive,  
As when we say all ages, nations all  
Shall thee most happy among women call,  
That of the greatest blessing God ere sent  
To sinful man, thou wert the instrument.   T. M.  

A Panegyricke on the blessed Virgin MARY.  
I Do not tremble, when I writ  
A Mistress praise, but with delight  
Can dive for Pearls into the flood,  
Fly through every Garden, wood,  
Stealing the choice of flowers, & wind,  
To dress her body or her mind,  
Nay the Saints and Angels are  
Not safe in Heaven, till she be fair,  
And rich as they, nor will this do  
Until she be my Idol too:  
With this sacrilege I dispense,  
No fright is in my Conscience,  
My hand starts not, nor do I then  
Find any quakings in my pen;  
Whose every drop of Ink within,  
Dwells as in me, my Parent's sin,  
And praises on the Paper wrote,  
Have but conspired to make a blot,  
Why should such fears invade me now,  
That writes on her? to whom do bow  
The souls of all the just, whose place  
Is next to Gods, and in his face  
All creatures and delights doth see  
As darling of the Trinity;  
To whom the Hierarchy doth throng,  
And for whom Heaven is all one song.  
joys should possess my spirit here,  
But pious joys are mixed with fear.  
Put off thy shoe, 'tis holy ground,  
For here the flaming Bush is found,  
The mystic Rose, the Ivory Tower,  
The morning Star, & David's bower,  
The Rod of Moses, and of jesse,  
The fountain sealed, gideon's fleece,  
A woman clothed with the Sun,  
The beauteous Throne of Solomon,  
The Garden shut, the living spring,  
The Tabernacle of the King,  
The Altar breathing sacred fume,  
The Heaven distilling honiecombe  
The untouched Lily, full of dew,  
A Mother, yet a Virgin true,  
Before, and after she brought forth  
(Our ransom of Eternal worth)  
Both God & man, what voice can si●  
This mystery, or Cherubs wing  
Lend from his golden stock, a Pen  
To write, how heaven came down m●  
Here fear, and wonder so advance  
My soul, it must obey a Trance.   

A Panegyricke dedicated to the eternal Memory, and glorious Fame of the blessed Virgin MARY.  

LEnd me Elias Chariot to inspire  
My feeble Muse. Wheels of celestial fire  
Bear her from Earth, purge every loser thought  
This duller air, or that gross Dunghill wrought.  
Let all her strains be pure, cloa●● her in white,  
And innocent wit; let her cha●●● soul delight  
In no adulterate line, no want 〈◊〉 sense,  
Let all her knowledge be her Innocence's  
As adam's ere he fell; then w●●● she raise  
A maiden spirit to chant a Vi●gins praise.  
Yet let her not be barren, b●● bring forth  
Zeal to each ear she strikes, shall her worth  
Shine like the Saint she sings o●● wonders do,  
And be as she a Maid, and M●ther too.  
Instruct me you nine Orders ho● to sing,  
Or let a Cherubin pluch me from his wing,  
A quill to write the story, or entreat  
Your brother Gabriel from his blessed seat  
To visit Earth, and teach me, lest I miss  
To salute MARY in a voice like his.   

Sleep on your eyes fair Virgins long hath stayed,  
Rise, and to Bethlem run to see a Maid.  
Rise Matrons, in your arms your infants bear,  
To Bethlem haste, and see God's Mother there.  
Matrons, and Virgins run, haste all to see,  
Both joined in one a fruitful Chastity.  
Then every Matron this gr●●● wonder tell,  
And every Virgin chant a Canticle,  
Sing blessed Mary's praise, s●●● that for her  
jehovah rivalled with a Carp●ter.  
Marry derived from two most glorious Springs  
The blood of Levies Priests, a●● Iudah's Kings,  
Which did as in a Type fo● show her story, 
* Austin, Baronius, and others, hold that she was descended from the Tribe of Levi, which the late Bishop of Chichester opposeth.   
To be the Mother both of Gra●● and Glory.  
Sing of her birth, how not 〈◊〉 deemed with prize,  
Her Father paid her as a sac●●fice  
Due to his God, when others ransomed be  
With Shekles, as it were a slavery  
To serve their Maker, and the Parents fear  
To trust him with the wardship of their heir.  
But the blessed Maid, whom Angels now admire,  
(Glad they have got her to increase their Choir)  
In childhood first her Virgin task begun,  
And in the Temple prayed a pretty Nun;  
That the first breath she sucked was holy air,  
And the first word she learned to lisp, was prayer.  
There might you see an Infant Saint outvie  
The Levites in Devotion, and a● eye  
Cast up to heaven ere it the ear●● had known;  
Whole showers of tears in pio●● sorrow shown  
For Eves offence, not hers, she did begin  
To learn Repentance ere she knew to sin.  
Each morning strove the early Lark, and she  
Who first should chant their sacred melody.  
He that had seen her might by very sense  
Have prophesied an Age of Innocence  
Reborn with her. I should have thought her one  
Of the great Cherubins sent from its throne  
To breed a race of Angels, and supply  
Their room that fell by proud Apostasy.  
Thus she grew up in zeal, and holy fears,  
Yet still Devotion would outbid her years,  
Till 
* The opinion of Mantuan, how true I know not.  at fifteen (when others holier fires  
Grow to more wanton, and unchaste desires)  
The Priests bethought a husband for her bed;  
But Mary's thoughts all unto Heaven were fled.  
Yet was she josephs' Spouse, not with th'intent  
T'unloose her Virgin Zone, but to prevent  
The suits of others, and enjoy more free  
The treasure of unspotted Chastity.  
Who will believe the wonder have said?  
Marry a husband took, to live Maid.  
Dare not thou joseph to approach too near  
This heavenly Ark, thy God inhabits there.  
Touch not that sanctified, and hallowed womb,  
Whence thy salvation, and th● worlds must come:  
For 'tis not, Carpenter, thy A●● that can  
Repair the Fabric of selfe-r●●● ined man:  
Mary must Bride to thy Creator be,  
And clad in flesh part of the Trinity.  
See God hath sent from his eternal sphere,  
Blessed Gabriel, his fire-winged Messenger,  
Who crowned with Glory, and a wreath of Light,  
Salutes the Virgin, doubtful of the sight,  
And courts her thus. Hail Marry full of grace,  
(Wherewith a blush risen in her bashful face,  
And verified his words) the Lord, quoth he,  
Hath left his Heaven, and comes to dwell in thee;  
Blest amongst women, in thy sex divine;  
For every breast salvation sucks from thine.  
Suppose a King had some gay favourite sent  
With powerful Rhetoric, and Court compliment  
To win a Country Girl. What could she guess  
But 'twas some scorn on her unworthiness?  
So Marry ignorant what her Virtue was,  
(For she had made Humility her glass)  
Doubts what the words should mean, wonders to hear  
This salutation, and mistrusts her ear.  
And when the Angel tells her of a Son,  
To sit on Princely David's royal Throne,  
To rule the house of jacob, and to be  
A sceptred Prince to all Eternity,  
Her modest soul no vain Ambition swayed,  
She rather chose to live an humble Maid,  
Then a Queen Mother. How can I, quoth she,  
Who ne'er knew man, and am a Votary  
Near to know any, team with such a birth,  
Who would not for the treasure of the earth  
Be false unto my vows? My love is prayer,  
And piety all the sons I mean to bear.  
But when the Angel did Gods will relate,  
That he would get a son that might create,  
She yields a Handmaid to her Lords desire.  
O I but think how such strange news would fire  
Some Lady's hearts with pride when they should hear  
Gods grown enamoured on their beauties were!  
How they would think themselves worthy the bed  
Of their Creator, and advance their head  
Above Mortality, promising their eyes  
To be made Stars to glorify the skies!  
But Mary's zeal swelled higher than her pride;  
Nothing moved that, not when old Zachary's Bride  
Felt the Babe dance, and leap within her womb,  
For joy the Mother of his Lord was come,  
But blessed her God regarded her estate,  
And sung not to herself, Magnificat.  
Nor when the Shepherds did relate their story  
That was as full of wonder as of Glory,  
But took the Angel's Hymn, and chanted then  
Glory to God on high, good will to men.  
Nor when three Kings did to her Cratch resort,  
Did she conceive her Stable turned a Court,  
When to a Priest, a Prophet, and a King,  
They several brought their several offering.  
She took not to delight a wanton sense.  
The precious Myrrh, and odrous Frankincense,  
Nor did with covetous greedy eyes behold  
The Eastern wealth (the third man's treasure) gold;  
Her Son, and Saviour's honour to prefer,  
Was Myrrh, was Frankincense was gold to her.  
Her life was all Humility, Must make haste  
To sing her Death, and how he life being past,  
Heaven entertained her; for their Hymns divine  
Are fit to relate her praise, tha● thine.  
Thou hast not power t'unfold with what a fear  
She fled to Egypt, and continued there  
To save her Infant's life, not skill to tell  
How much she joyed at every Miracle.  
Presume not thou to number what her eyes  
Shower forth in tears, as on the Cross she spies  
Her Son, and Saviour, nor what care she showed,  
To gather up the drops of blood that flowed  
Pure Balsam from his side; nor venture on  
To write with what a violent zeal she run  
To beg with joseph he a Tomb might have,  
By whom we all are ransomed from the Grave.  
Me thinks I see how by his Cross she stood,  
How her sad eyes vide tears, he dropped blood;  
Her eyes more sad, cause they reigned their sight,  
And could not do as Heaven di● lose their light.  
Her arms express the Cro● whereon he died,  
As if she too meant to be crucified.  
I see her veil rend; for it cou●● not be,  
The Temple should express more grief than she.  
Me thinks I hear her plaints. Christ that I  
Should give thee flesh; for else thi● couldst not die!  
Divinity is from all passion free,  
That thou canst suffer torments, w● from me.  
Wherefore thy Virgin Mother here vows all  
●er hours to prayers, till thy last trumpet call.   

And here I crave no pardon, if my pen  
tabbe those presumptuous, and o'er curious men:  
Whose bold Disputes dare into question call  
What sons she had, and whether Christ was all.  
As if a mortal durst to Mary come,  
And court God's widow, to profane her womb,  
As if the Mother Maid that stile gave over,  
To be a Mother, but a Maid no more,  
Or she that God and man hat● borne, would be  
A Mother now to bear Humanity,  
As she from heaven to earth, he thoughts had cast,  
And could love joseph, that ha● God embraced.  
No, having laid, great heaven immortal King,  
Under the shadow of thy gratio●● wing:  
She Turtle like would a chas● widow be,  
And vowed to love no other Dove but thee,  
But ever mourned thy absence, til● her eyes  
Had spent her soul in tears, an● love-strained cries,  
Cracked her poor heartstrings Having cast away  
The roylesome burden of unwieldy clay,  
With pure, and airy pinions, hence she flies,  
And forsakes earth, to seek thee in the skies.  
When she arrived where her blessed Mate doth dwell:  
What Poets, Priests, or Prophet's rage can tell  
The entertainments, welcomes, joys have been,  
Unless in Pathmos he had Visions seen.  
We may suppose that Angels clapped their wings,  
Powers and Dominions shouted, all the strings  
Of Seraphins tuned high, loud Hymns did play.  
A troop of Virgins on the Milky way  
Met her in snow-white robes, a●● Convoy had  
Legions of Martyrs, all in scarl●● clad.  
josuah with Captains, Dav●● sainted Kings,  
All tendered their respects. Th● Palace rings  
With acclamations, Eve runn● forth to see  
Whence sprung the fruit, cured the forbidden tree.  
Sarah makes haste, her Ladi● womb to bless,  
Without whose birth, the curl● of barrenness  
Had lain upon her, though she had a son,  
And had brought twenty Isaac● forth for one.  
Rebecca with the better of he● twins,  
And Rachel with her joseph too gins  
To chant her praise. The brave Bethulian Dame,  
Victorious judith, to her welcome came  
With troops of Amazons. The Sheban Queen,  
(Who now the new jerusalem had seen)  
Runs to the sight, and wistly gazeth on  
The Mother of the mightier Solomon.  
There met with Saints, and Angels, all desire  
To bid her welcome, thus, in a full Quire.   

Come blessed Virgin, fix thine eyes upon  
This glorious Throne,  
And on the right hand, there behold thy Son.  
Behold his hands, his feet, his pierced side,  
That for us died,  
Whose very wounds in heaven are Deified.  
Those glorious lips, which once drew milk from thee,  
Shall one day be  
The doom of souls, to bliss, or misery.  
Blessed womb, the mysteries that sprung from hence,  
Dazzle our sense,  
Whose only Essence is Intelligence.  
Finite thou wert, yet infinite in thee  
We treasured see,  
Mortal, yet Mother to Eternity.  
Thy Son made of thee, made thee. Faith aspire  
One ladder higher,  
Elder then's Mother, ancient as his Sire.  
'Tis strange thou shouldst both Maid and Mother be;  
Stranger to see  
In one soul both God, and Humanity.  
As he was God, thou still art Maid. Who can  
This wonder scan?  
He made thee Mother, as he was but man.  
Thou succkl'st him upon thy breasts, and he  
To ransom thee,  
Opened his side upon his passion tree.  
me blessed Virgin, and receive thy Crown  
Of full Renown,  
Where Death, and Time have laid their Sceptres down.  
There sing with us, how three do sit upon  
The glorious Throne;  
One of which three is two, yet all but one.   

THus, holy Virgin, have I shadowed o'er  
Thy Picture in a rude unpolished score,  
That wished t'have limned it with as lively grace,  
As ever Painter drew the sweetest face.  
Yet would I not idolatrize thy worth,  
Like some, whose superstition sets thee forth  
In costly ornaments, in  so gay,  
So rich as never in the Stable lay.  
These make thy Statues now as famous be  
For pride, as thou wert for Humility.  
I cannot think thy Virgin bashfulness  
Would wear the Lady of Lorettos dress,  
Though fare more glorious robes to thee were given,  
Meekness, and Zeal on Earth, Glory in Heaven.   

Take then the honour thou hast justly won,  
Praise above Angels, but below thy Son.    

Faults escaped in Printing.  
PAge 74. line 4. read, glorious. 100LS in the margin, read, not only mar● Modern. 128.14. for it, read, is. 16▪ 16. for penurious, read, poor. 182. 1● Lambertus. 194.14. in stead of, si● read, from. 205.6. Jdelphonsus. 213. 1● for consent, read, consent. 246. f●● Christ's, r. Christ. 247. for brought, brought'st. 248.11 for silent, r. a silen● 248.13. deal, but.   



This Blessed Virgin had the grace divine  
To be derived from JESSE 's blooming rod  
And rijse elect from DAVID 's golden line  
To be the Daughter, Mother, Spouse of GOD     

THE FEMALE GLORY: OR, The life of the Virgin MARY.  
HIstory offers to our view, Myriad of holy Virgins in Beauty, and virtue equally attractive, whose due praise the Catholic Church doth at this day solemnly sing, but with a more elevated voice (as duty on our part, and merit on hers commands) the laud of that most excellent Princess, the Virgin Mother of God. There be who affirm that what ever the Creator saw beautiful in heaven, or earth, he bestowed in the limming of this rare Piece, not that she might be styled the most fair amongst the daughters of women, but by a heavenly prerogative, the alone Fair, the alone Lovely. Look how many parts, 
Her external Beauty.  so many arts you might discern of the Celestial Limmer. And this is no way repugnant to reason itself; for if Christ was fair above the sons of men, 
Galatinus.  should not she be so above their Daughters, since from her alone he received his flesh? Gregory Nazianzen proclaims that she surpassed all women in loveliness. Andraeas' says that she was a Statue carved by Gods own hand. Others of those first, and purer times not without admiration, observe that God was almost fifty Ages in the meditation of the structure of this stately Palace. And truly our belief may easily digest this, that his omnipotency would make her fit to be the Mother of his Son, Empress of this lower world, and the blessed Conduit through which should pass the mystery of man's Redemption. Yet find I a ridiculous description of her in Epiphanius a Priest of Constantinople, who affirms that her Face was of the colour of Wheat, her visage long, and her nose suitable, her hair yellow, and her eyebrows black. But what authority he hath for this, neither I, nor I think he himself can well tell; for surely simple Antiquity was not either curious, or skilful to deliver it by tradition, or picture to posterity. I verily believe he had it from his own dreams, or rather fancy. Mopsa is as much beholding to our incomparable, and inimitable Sidney for a delineation, as is my divine subject to this curious Impertinent. Whether, her beauty chief consisted in colour, in Symmetry of parts, or both I know not: sure I am the stream of other more judicious, pious Authors carries me not into an opinion, but a strong belief of her heavenly form. Cardinal Cajetan, and Galatinus, (with what truth I cannot say) certainly with more probability than he, maintain that her excellent temperature, her conformity of members, her firm and constant Complexion freed her from all contagion and diseases. And Dyonisius goes, further, affirming that she was no other than a walking Spring. Such variety of sweet odours her very pores breathed out on all that came near her; as we read of Alexander's living body, and the Egyptian Carcases which by a thin spare diet observed in life, even after death sent forth a most sweet perfume. Sylvanus Razzius recounts a pleasing story of a certain Clerk, who by many prayers implored, and obtained the blessing of her fight, but with this condition, that he should see her but with one eye, and that one he should lose. He willingly embraced it, but when she appeared dressed in all her Beams, not being able with one eye to take a full view of her, he opened the other also, choosing rather to forfeit his sight for ever, then to lose one minute of the inconceiveable content he enjoyed in the sight of so glorious a spectacle. Were this true, it would make a brave example of a devout soul ravished with the view of a divine object.  

Her internal Beauty.  If the Inn was so splendent, so sumptuous, what may we think of the amiable guest, that lodged in it, her mind, beset with thoughts clear, and radiant as her own eyes? He that dares attempt the expression of these her internal gifts is ignorant of her sublimity; he who dares not, knows not her humanity, her sweetness. As no stile can ascend so high as her exalted worth, so on the other side none can descend so low as her Humility. Encouraged therefore by her meekness, not my own sufficiency, I shall endeavour to limb her soul in little (since in great neither my time, nor ability will let me) which will appear an enterprise as hardy, and vain as his who should strive to limit the light, or circumscribe the Air▪ Know then, modest Reader (and receive this knowledge with the same ecstasy, and zeal I writ it) that her internal lustre was fare greater than her external, like in this unto the Tents of Kedar, as soon covered with dust, and almost burned up with the heat of the Sun, as soon beaten, and shaken with tempestuous weather, but in the mean time inwardly all glittering with glory, and magnificence. O ye Angels, to you it is only given, not to sin, but on her is conferred what you cannot merit, to bear, and the reparation of man's ruin. The Apostles, those holy Tapours of the primitive Church sometimes burnt dim, and were obscured with the fog of sin, but her brightness nothing vicious could lessen, much less utterly extinguish. She was, indeed, virtues prime, and great example, and all the accomplished women of the Ages past, present, or to come have grace, and happiness to the full in being called her imperfect Copies.  
Here my Invention treads a Maze, and my heart is divided between an earnest desire to praise her to the height, and a holy fear lest in that praise I should trench on Gods own peculiar Attributes. That she was no way inferior to her Son, according to the flesh, I dare not with some avouch, who magnify her in a phrase that violates her modesty, and makes her blush at her own exaltation. Her lowliness was such that it was nearer the rejecting of all commendations then entertaining a comparison between herself, and him to whom she had professed herself an handmaid. And no less is her shame, or rather, indeed, her trembling when pens profanely prodigal ascribe that honour to her which is only proper, and due to that Deity from which she received her grace, and being. I will not, with Lipsius ascribe as much to her Milk, as to her Son's Blood. Neither dare I side with those who aver that she is half of that sacrifice that ransomed us, and God's partner here. Nor is my pen so impiously valiant as to justify that God made himself the pattern, and communicated to her by Gra●● whatsoever he had by Nature Nor am I of his bold opinion wh●● says, If man had never sinned, y●● Christ should have taken flesh t● honour her. These men woul● have her in all things equal▪ Christ himself. Neither her modesty, nor mine will admit of th● blasphemous flattery. I willing allow her to be the vessel, but n●● the fountain of Grace. I am muc● taken with his Tenent who hol● that God made all things for th● use of Man, because he would apply furnish him with matter enough to busy his head, lest should be so audacious as to equire into his secrets, & encroach upon his prerogatives. We nee● not (thanks to his infinite goodness) be so dangerously venturous, since he affords us a large scope, and ground enough safely to extol this his Favourite, second to none that ever bore flesh, either in her own desert, or his esteem.  
To begin with her birth; it was miraculous, 
Her Birth.  as it always falls out where Nature fails, 
That joacimus and Anna were her parents is an undoubted truth received by the Church, as we find both in Baronius and Bishop Montacute in his Book called Apparatus, etc.  and God supplies, as he did here in Anna the blessed mother of this more blessed maid. And here by the way I must insert an observation derived from God's sacred Word, that for the most part the children of sterility are fruitful in sanctity, and all goo● works. Samson was the sonne● barrenness, and kept the people in obedience. So was Isaac, an● gave precepts to the seed of Abraham. So was Samuel, and foretold the misery of servitude to the jewish Synagogue. So was joseph, an● with his counsel governed all Egypt. So was our hallowed subject who brought forth the Son's glory. The slaves of the Tyri●● rebelling against their Master and having subdued them by a general consent, decreed, that he amongst them who the next mo●ning could first discover the Sunrising should be their King. O● of them of a more gentle dispo●tion then the rest, having hidde● his Master (by name Strato) fro● the others fury, secretly asked h●● advise in this so important affair who bade him look into the West; for there he should sooner discern the approach of the Sun than they who sought him in the East. This wise counsel he obeyed, and while the rest fixed all their eyes on the East, he from the highest part of the City, by his Rays in the West, first discovered his ascension in the East. So in Anna (the happy mother of this wonder of women) being then in the occident, or set of life the prophetic world foresaw the brightness of the dazzling light she then teemed with. At length the world's greedy expectation was satisfied; and this Cynthia, this chaste Star was delivered of a Planet fare greater, and brighter than herself; of whose all gladding shine the first man participated, and the last shall. I may as properly as dolefully call them Planets, since they neve● rested, but were in perpetual motion while in this lower orb the● ran their fatal courses, in which they were often clouded, neve● quite eclipsed. The day of the Nativity of this most perfect of Saints, I find thus describe● by Nicolaus Vernulaeus a late Writer, and a professor of eloquence The description I only insert fo● the elegancy; for I must condem● it as guilty of Levity and Vanity and no way suitable to the Majesty, Gravity, and Modesty of thi● our sacred subject. The Sun, sai●● he, this day burnished his face, the better to illustrate the world, and to appear gracious in her sight, who carried in her breast a fire purer, and clearer than his own Rays. The ear●● put on her freshest green, and the flowers spread their dainty leaves and made a sweet exchange of odours with her, yet hung their heads to see themselves both in colour, and sent so fare surpassed. The trees advanced their curled heads, and composed their looks within the Christ all streams, who seemed to dance after their own mumur. Amongst the Beasts their King laid by his fierceness, and not one of his subjects was found savage, or polluted that day. Then was the Proverb crossed; for the Worm being trod on, would not turn again, lest she should prove unlike her meekest Mistress. In the very bowels of the earth, the minerals and the stones more precious, assumed their quicker sparks, as Emblems of her splendour. The Ocean had not a wrinkle in his face, thousands of Halcions hovered o'er his head, and his Tritons blew so loud, that their notes sounded the very bottom of the Deep. Within his vast Dominions was no disco●●● that day; for the greater of the 〈◊〉 forsook their prey, and the smal● swum in that security, that 〈◊〉 Sprat bearded the Dolphin, and pl●●● with the nose of the overgrown Wh●●● The birds sung their choicest airs; t●●fowles flew nearer the earth to sal●●her, and their Towering Lord 〈◊〉 Eagle brought his young ones to●●● their eyes at this new borne Lig●●● The air itself was like her, gen●●● and being invisible, came to steal●● kiss from her cherry lips, soft a●● smooth as were his own. The win●● (conceiving their silence would b● please) kept themselves within th●● dens; only Zephyrus was let lose fan the Pink, and Violet, a●● play the wanton with the Rose. Th●● fare Vernulaeus. Of all things c●●ated man alone, to whom, bei●● sick, she was to bring a soverai●● Antidote was found least joyful, least grateful. Yet were there some, no doubt, of Gratitude's children, who lay prostrate before her, and did homage to their sweetest Lady, who might better be called the Mother of the living, than Eve; since she, like a Murderess, gave her children death ere birth; and defaced those Images whereon God had set his own stamp. She was no wiser than a poor Fly, who, enamoured of the beauty of the flame, longs to try if it be as sweet as fair, and is consumed with her own folly. Had our blessed one supplied her room in Paradise, the forbidden fruit had, perchance, been yet untasted, and man uncursed; for she was altogether void of curiosity, proper to that weaker sex, and the very bane of it. Our dearest Princess therefore was deservedly a Queen ere borne, received a Crown sooner than sight, an● found her Throne seated upon th● threshold of life. And wha● Crown was she presented with▪ Not one to compose which the East, and the West joined thei● treasures, but a Crown in the making whereof every virtue, an● all the Graces had a hand. No● did any vain mortal place it o● her sacred Temples, but Go● himself, who thought nothing too dear, nor omitted any ornament that might embellish thi● goodly edifice wherein himself meant to reside. Having thus adorned and honoured her, h● placed her in this lower world fo● the good and admiration of all for the conversation of a few. Though borne on earth she lived here like a Native of Heaven.  

Her infancy.  As we may guess at the neatness of a house by the entry into it: so we may judge of her life's remainder by the very beginning. Sabellicus affirms that * she no sooner saw the light, 
Sabellicus sets down how she disposed of every particular hour.  but she adored the Creator of it, and lifted up her heart and eyes to the great Infuser of all her incomparable excellencies. She loved God ere she had seen man. The defect of her tongue could not hinder the operation of her soul, in which ere she could speak, she acknowledged his unspeakable goodness. In her Religion preceded the use of reason, and she apprehended Gods mercies long ere she was capable of his nature, and wisdom. Ere she could utter holy words, she made holy signs, by which she made known the sanctity of her heart. The first word she learned to lisp was jehovah. She sent forth many a sigh for sin, not having committed any, and bewailed that of which she was utterly ignorant. The rolling of the cradle put her in mind that she was newly entered into the tempest of this life, the infinite dangers whereof to escape she made Virtue her Pilot.  
We will not here with some Writers of her Life, dispute whether or no she had the same ordinary Education with other children; nor with them affirm that she entered the Temple at three years old, and lived close by the Altar, and was fed miraculously by an Angel; as also that it was there revealed to her that she should be delivered of the Messiah. I will not make one step out of Gods own path, from which I never yet saw the greatest wit to swerve, but it was in danger of sticking fast. Yet hath a pious charity often swallowed more than all this. If from the hand of an Angel she there received food natural, or supernatural, sure I am the wonder is not so great as that of the Incarnation, where the womb included the Word. And why should we with difficulty believe that this white spotless soul was illuminated with Revelations by the divine object of her chaste vows? who undoubtedly deserved to be rapt up if it were possible, a story higher than was Saint Paul. It is likely enough, saith Mantuan, God would have the Temple of his Spirit to dwell in the Temple of his service. The same Author affirms that she there lived a pretty Nun, and Spun, and wove the sacred Vestments till her eleventh or twelfth year, when her prudency, and shame, and the care of her Reputation, forbade her to accompany even the very Priests themselves, men whom God had selected out of the Mass of the vulgar to teach his Will, to instruct his people, and to sing his praise. These curiosities, and bold conjectures let us rather believe then contest with the broachers; for it is wisdom to grant what we cannot confute. Let us then imagine that this holy Recluse confined her body to this sacred solitude, and a spare diet, and warily kept her soul from the surfeits to which carnal delights invite all things humane. And it is consonant both to reason and truth, that her exercise there, was pious like the place. They who go about to take away her writing, and reading tongue are impiously ridiculous, since it evidently appears that she was well read in the Scriptures by her divine Hymn uttered in Zacharies house. 
* Ancient and eminent Authors affirm her to have been learned in the Hebrew tongue, all which you shall find quoted in Cedrenus.  On her reading attended Meditation, on her Meditation Prayer, or her Prayer Action, as the lovely fruit of the precedent. Thus busied, the day left her, the night found her. Her sleeping cogitations we may suppose were suitable to her waking, and her very 1 dreams divine. She had not a thought that was her own, all belonged to God. She was slow to speak, saith Sabellicus, but ready to obey all holy advice. He● tongue was not so swift as he● Wit, which made it follow fo● direction in all the requisites 〈◊〉 speech. In a word, she might wel● usurp that of the Church, When 〈◊〉 was a little one, I was pleasing to th● most high. When upon matur● deliberation she left the Temple she still lived as if she had been● in it. Though in body she was sociable, she fettered her soul fro● wand'ring abroad, her true conversation being in heaven. Thi● flourishing Vine planted herself amongst the Olives. She was more choice of her company then of her food, or raiment, both which, God knows, were course enough. She knew temperancy to be Gods, and Nature's Favourite, in that it conduceth to the service of the former, and the preservation of the later. She therefore made this heavenly virtue judge of her Appetite, lest it should long after excess, the mother of all uncleanness. Her soul gave laws to her body, which it could not infringe without the injunction of a strict penance. She devoured Gluttony itself, and made the flesh subject to the command of the spirit. Her fare, saith Cedrenus, required no vessel, nor need she to wash her hands after her greatest meal. Her diet defied the fire, as of no use. From the Earth's face, the Cow's dug, and the Fountain's brim, she readily fetched her sustenance. She was as ignorant of the Persian luxury, as the superstition. To this her clothing was correspondent, for which her back was beholding to her fingers. Her hands were the purveyors to her other members. She had one eye fixed on heaven, and the other cast upon the earth, being intentive on the Glories of the one, and the Necessities of the other, and at once acted Martha, and Magdalene. It is very credible that she sowed, and spun, and maintained life with labour. He who gives life to all things, suffered his then adopted, and since natural mother, to gain her living with sweat, and care, that her example might give pride the check, and teach Majesty Humility. In her he made manifest that mortal felicity is not the parent of the immortal. She was not solicitous for the feather, the lookingglass, or any outward bravery, being only careful to cover her shame, and at once to expel two deadly enemies to her soul, and body, pride, and cold. Her outward simplicity was in all things answerable to her inward.  

Her betrothing.  Well, now she began to write woman, and her fifteenth year approached, and hand in hand with the increase of time went the acquisition of all Graces. Her least perfection would render another most accomplished. In her all virtues were at strife, all overcame. Nothing was here mean, she being no other than an union of superlatives. Charity, obedience, p●etie, virginity, all were in her● height. Nothing in her was wa●●ing but the Deity itself. Yet w●● not her vainglory such, that s●●● desired with Dina to visit th● daughters of other Regions, an● to enlarge the renown of these her Excellencies, being only studious in the government of h●● own little, inward commo● wealth. Her fixed resolution wa● not only to confine her people but her fame, which (had it pen● trated foreign Countries) King would have come suppliants 〈◊〉 her cottage, and on their kne●● have petitioned for her love. B●● the bonds of her Matrimony we●● already asked in heaven, and no impediment found why she might not wed God himself. Yet at the earnest solicitation of the reverend Priests, saith Mantuan, was she content to be betrothed to joseph; not that he should do the office of an husband, but serve as a bar to the importunity of other Suitor, that so she might the more freely enjoy the inconceiveable pleasure she took in her vowed virginity.  
Lu●t The Salutation.  

28. And the Angel came in unto her▪  
and said, Hail thou that art  
Highly favoured the LORD is with thee,  
Blessed art thou Among women▪   

The salutation.  But now the time is come when she must be (to the astonishment of the world) a Mother, and yet remain a Virgin. The marriage between God, and Nature is concluded on in heaven, and Gabriel the Ambassador concerning man's Redemption prepares himself for his journey decreed from all eternity. He receives instructions from the hands of Gods own transcendent Mercy; and therefore, no doubt, but they are gentle, and pleasing. Clad in white, (as an Emblem of his innocence) he sets forth without any other guard then his own right Arm able to destroy Legions. The Chaldaeans carried in their Ensigns a towering Flame, the Babylonians a Dove, the Scythians Lightning, the Persians a Bow, and Arrows, the Romans an Eagle. And this extraordinary Ambassador of peace, (being to descend from the higher to the lower world, from the Creator to the creature, an Angel to men) bears along with him in his very name the sign of his Power, and Fortitude that sends him. The gates, saith Vernulaeus, of the celestial palace stand wide open, and the sacred Trinity gladly beholds the departure of this divine Messenger. The Angels clap their wings, and make the heavenly roof ring with Haleluiahs'. The Saints attend, and send their vows after him, that his presence may be without terror, and his swee● delivery win consent in the hea●● of their glorious Empress. The  space between the Poles is filled with troops of holy spirits, who give a convoy to this their fellow-servant graced above the rest, in having so important an affair as the world's salvation committed to his charge. The Stars put on new, and brighter aspects, as seeming to foretell what they foresee not. The Earth bedecked with all imaginable ornaments presents him with variety of scents, and colours even to herself new, and lays her prime dainties under his feet. Only her stupid Inhabitants, whom his Embassy most concerned, were altogether unsensible of his arrival, and of the eternal benefit he brings them, receiving him rather like an Herald then an Ambassador. And (which increased his wonder at his entertainment) his first approach was unwelcome to the Saint whose Votary he was. He found her (as some think) alone, separated as well in body as mind from the world. She was not ignorant that piety was nearer pollution in society than solitude, and therefore to shun infection, she avoided company. She well knew that the holy Ghost himself had dwelled with the Prophets and Apostles in Caves, Dens, and Dungeons, and there penned the all-saving Writ▪ That which we call good fellow ship, and sweet conversation he● conscience assured her to be a● best but a sociable folly. In neighbourhood she feared proximity in vice. Well, if alone he foun● her, questionless she made a divine use of that privacy, and meditated how in a corrupible body to preserve a spirit incorruptible. The celestial agent having demanded, and obtained audience, spoke the oration he made not; for he was but Interpreter of the holy Spirit, in which office he justly gloried. The speech assuredly was modest, and suitable to the sacred cares it was to enter. The beginning of it, no doubt, consisted of a reverend applause of the perfections God had imparted to her. Hail Mary, said he, full of Grace, the Lord be with thee: blessed art thou amongst women, etc. How she took this the Text following declares. And when she saw him she was troubled at his saying, and thought what manner of salutation that should be. No doubt the Angel no sooner pronounced, Hail Marry full of Grace, but a blush arose in her bashful face, and verified his words. But this colour was not fixed, it went quickly back to fortify her noble heart against the fear that invaded it. She saw herself alone with one altogether a stranger to her, whose face she neither knew, nor his intent. True it is, his language was smooth, and even, but as fair words as these, have often proceeded from a foul heart. She trembled at his salutation, thinking him to be a 
* That the Angel appeared to her in the form or shape of a man is the opinion of S. Hierome. in Epist. ad Eustoch. de cust. Virgin. and of S. Ambrose, lib. 1. offic. cap. 18. An● that which Damascen hath, lib. 2. de fide orthod All the learned approve of; to wit, that the Angel are transformed, and appear to men according to th● pleasure of the Lord, and reveal his divine Mysteries. And that Angels appeared in the old Testament in the shape of men is certain: and for many reaso● it is very probable that Gabriel assumed the form● a man when he came to the blessed Virgin. Chryso logus serm. 140, is of opinion that the Angel appear▪ in a shape, and habit most pleasing and gentle, and that the Virgin was not troubled at his person, but his speech, in that it is said she marvelled what sayings those should be.  mat subject to abhorred Lust, and therefore feared violence: but when she once knew him, and his Embassy, she then undaunted, discoursed with him as an Angel, whom before she quaked at as a man. I conjure all modest souls that shall peruse this passage by all things dear to them, to dwell long upon it, as worthily deserving both their admiration, and imitation. Though she received from him extreme and heavenly praises, yet she was afraid, because she was alone. O Saviour of the World! Purity fears an Angel, shall not Impurity then suspect a man though in the shape of an Angel when his compliment, and discourse are sensual. Virginity cannot be too heedful, which makes it practise the doubt of things safe, that so it may accustom itself to the fear of things dangerous. If heathen women have by nature so abhorred pollution, that they have chosen death before it, how odious must we judge it to the angelical innocency of Gods own Mother? Well, what course took she? She rejected these his commendations not with her tongue, but her looks, which put on a dislike of all he had said. She had heard that when Castles come to a parley, it is a sign of yielding, and therefore thought it her safest way to involve herself within humility, and a sober silence. But the Angel quickly delivered her our of this Agony into a greater; out of this fear into a more tormenting care. Fear not MARY, saith he, for thou hast found favour with God; for lo thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bear a Son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most high, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of jacob for ever; and of his Kingdom shall be no end. To this her answer was, How shall that be, since I know no man? It is true, it is true, most blessed Virgin, thou knowest no man; but let thy modesty rest secure; for the operation of God, and not of man is here required. God should never beconceived in thee, wert thou not a Virgin, nor borne of thee shouldest thou not remain such. Thou canst not be spotted with the conception, or birth of an issue so immaculate. This fear is as needless as that of defiling thy fairest fingers with the purest fountain. If Obededon having received the Ark within his walls, was so enriched with all manner of Treasure, that Felicity was voiced to have descended from heaven into his house; what shall we judge of thy supreme bliss, O glorious Virgin! who art not to be the receptacle of a wooden Ark, but of his only Son? With confidence therefore consent to thy own happiness, and the Redemption of all Humanity.  
But, indeed, I do not wonder at her astonishment, when I consider her bashfulness. Me thinks I see her now casting her eyes up to heaven, now fixing them on the earth, and now again on the Ambassador himself, resolving to give up her soul rather than her virginity. Harsh must the word (conception) needs found to her who was a votary ne'er to know man, whose only love was prayer, whose only child was piety. But when the Angel urged God's will, she forthwith yielded a handmaid to her Lords desire. Let us intentively listen to the text. And the Angel answered, and said unto her, The holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing that shall be borne of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she hath als● conceived a son in her old age, an● this is the sixth month with her wh● was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it to me according to th● word. See here united an incomparable humility, and an obedience even unto death. For the consenting to be the mother of God wa● not easy to her, in that a meek, an● humble spirit with greater difficulty ascends the highest step o● Honour's Throne, than a proud descends thence to the bottom, 〈◊〉 being a thing in nature fare hard to climb then to come down. 〈◊〉 any man shall yet rest unsatisfied and shall make a further enqui●● after this difficulty, he may please to consider that her humility balanced her Sons exalted, and her own dejected estate; and as well meditated the care, the diligency, the reverence, and obsequiousness, as the dignity, and excellency of her whom God would vouchsafe the most glorious title of Mother. She wisely weighed that the Angels were not worthy to wait on him, and therefore the service of her whole life must as fare exceed, as the name of God's Mother did excel that of Servant, or Angel. If Saint Peter, yet in the dawn of Grace, could so clearly discern his Master's greatness, as that he cried out, Depart from me a sinner, as deeming himself unworthy of his presence: If the Centurion for the same respect thought his house too base to receive him, what should she think who was not to take him into her ship, or her lodging, but into her womb, where he was to remain not a visitant, but a dweller? Full well also she understood that her consent was not only required to be the parent of the Almighty, but the Spouse also of his holy Spirit, to whose inspirations she ought a greater obedience than others, having received from the same spirit a greater measure of grace, and honour. She clearly foresaw that she was not only chosen to conceive the Son of God, 
Many ancient Writers hold that she had the gift of prophecy.  to bring forth, to nurse, and govern him, but also perforce to yield him up (such being the divine pleasure) to a three and thirty year's persecution, and lastly to the cursed death of the cross, the salvation of others depending on his destruction. And that she did foresee all this, plainly appears by the speech of the Angel to her, who (after he had foretold the conception, and birth of Christ) added, And he shall be called jesus, that is, a Saviour. An awful reverence, and an inconceiveable joy divided, without doubt, her all-holy heart when she contemplated her future being a mother to the Messiah. Can a man imagine any thing more difficult, more bitter for humane nature to overcome? Yet did her active virtue vanquish all these impediments, and with an humble, ravished soul she expected the entrance of him into her sacred womb, whom already she had surely seated in her heart.  
Here before we proceed to her conception, we must observe two things not amply, and fully enough expressed, very remarkable in the Angelical salutation; First, the dignity of the Ambassador, next the worth of her to whom his Embassy was directed, together with her many virtues equally eminent in this divine Dialogue.  
Concerning the first; he was not a man, but an Angel; neither an Angel of an inferior order, but of the supreme Hierarchy, which choice and pure spirits having received infinite ornaments and graces from their Lord and Master, retained still his favour, 
Hom. 34 in lect. Evang.  and ever stood before him. S. Gregory styles him a principal Angel, treating of principal things. Some have not feared to call him the supreme Angel, as Damascen, and others. 
Serm. de Virgins' assump.  Truth will answer for him, that amongst all the celestial spirits, none are so predicated in holy Writ as he, and Michael, to whom the Declaration, and Exposition of so high Mysteries so often were committed, as in Daniel, Zachary, and Mary is specified. Some will have his name to signify God, and man, and that this Etymology contains a miraculous mystery. Amongst these is Proculus Archbishop of Constantinople. Geber, saith he, signifies man; El God, 
In 1 cap. Luc.  alluding to his Embassy, which treated of his approaching birth, who was both God and man. Saint Bernard judgeth the servant of Abraham to have been a type of Gabriel; 
In parvis. serm. Gen. 24.  for he was sent by his Master not to seek an● Virgin that came next to hand but such a one as the Lord Go● had prepared for the Son of hi● Lord. 
Hom. de incomprehensibili Dei natura.  This Gabriel, saith Sai●● chrysostom, the Painter's present to us winged; not that God create: him so, but to denote the sublimmity and agility of the celestial Nature, as also to admonish us that with grateful hearts we acknowledge him 〈◊〉 have for our cause descended from 〈◊〉 highest habitation. And sweeth Chrysologus; An Angel treated wi●● Mary concerning our salvation, because an Angel had dealt with E●● touching our damnation. 
Serm. 142. Serm. 1. de nat. Virgin.  This blessed Spirit, and Saint john the Evangelist, Damianus compares to two Lions which carefully guar● this our sacred subject. I will n● here seek to satisfy the overcurious, and needless doubts of Luther, and others, whether she knew Gabriel to be an Angel, or no, nor whether or no he entered her chamber the door being shut, nor whether he appeared to her in a gentle familiar shape, or in his full splendour, as when he so much amazed Zachary, and struck him dumb. These questions serve rather to busy curiosity, then inflame zeal. Neither hath all that tender sex (to whose good I dedicate this discourse) received an education that renders them capable judges of such disputes. And I freely acknowledge that in this Treatise I have not so much as used any one word not frequent, and familiar, because I would make the sense clear to the Female Readers. Withal I profess my scope is not to sharpen their wits, but to beautify their lives, and to kindle in their fair bosoms an holy ambition to aspire to the perfections of that devout life, which this our incomparable Lady led, and ended with the applause of men, and Angels.  
Laying aside therefore these superfluous arguments, I will proceed (as my method commands me) to deliver her inestimable worth, and sober demeanour towards the Angel, which no eloquence can so well express as 〈◊〉 silent, and reverend admiration. Much I need not say of her of whom I never can speak enough, especially having already produced so many ancient, and learned extollers of her excellencies, to which my vote would add no more than a dim lamp to the glorious eye of heaven, or an obscure glow-worm to a starry night. Yet since at the Altar of this meek one (sweet and chaste as the Incense there daily burned) a single grain sent from a simple heart is acceptable, I will not fear to pay her a due oblation, though it come as short of her value, as I of her goodness. May it please thee then, pious Reader, gratefully, with me to acknowledge that this is she who gave flesh to him by whom all flesh is saved. This was the Dove that first brought to us the Olive of our peace. This is the Rainbow, or first sign of our reconciliation to the divine Majesty. And (to shut up all in a little) this was the Tabernacle, and Throne of the Almighty, whence (his Majesty obscured) his love shined forth to all humanity. But in that a plain delivery of her virtues adorn her more than can all the flowers of Rhetoric; I will (though in an inelligant phrase) set such down as shall appear most eminent in this unparalleled colloquy, wherein were handled the profound mysteries of the sacred Trinity, as of the Father's omnipotency, the holy Ghosts efficacy, the Son's excellency, and in him the propriety of both natures.  

Her prudency.  Her Prudency shall take the first▪ place, not as the greatest, but as the most diffusive, because clean through this Dialogue it blends with all the rest. First, she awfully, and advisedly gives him full audience, and at once both observes the laws of patience, and the custom of good manners in quietly attending the period of his salutation. Many of her Sex would have so cut him off at every word, that he should never have pieced his speech together again. Being more mistresses of their tongues then their ears; 
The common sort when the Moon was eclipsed thought her to be enchanted, and with basons and other things made a hideous noise to bar her from hearing the charmers voice.  they would never have given him hearing till they had been weary of talking. One of these, juvenal makes mention of in his 6. Satire, who made a din able to free the Moon from the power of the enchanter  
This virtue of an opportune silence few women obtain, if they do, it comes to them the last of all other. Their tongues are clocks which, once wound up, few of them go less than sixteen hours. But this wisest of Saints in a seasonable silence, and caution of speech, was alike admirable: Insomuch that through the whole Bible we find not that she spoke above five times. 
Her opportune silence and caution of speech.  Twice to the Angel Gabriel, as How shall this be? and again, Behold the Handmaid of the Lord. Next in the encounter between her, and her cousin Elizabeth. A fourth time to her beloved Son after long absence, Why have you dealt so with us. Lastly, when she becomes a petitioner for the poor, Because they have no wine Here in this place she intentively hearkens to the Angel, whom she hears twice ere she replies once. She made two pawses usher her answer, which she framed with such care, and sobriety, as if Modesty had sealed up her bosom, and lips, and that without her special warrant they were not to be opened. And though her thoughts were perplexed and troubled, yet she apparelled them in such a clear, smooth calm of language, that it would have gentilized Barbarism itself. When her Chastity is called in question (which she esteems above health, liberty, or life itself) she positively denies nothing in that strange, and to her impossible assertion of the Angel, but answers with an humble enquiry, How shall that be? Well might she make this demand, since she knew by humane power it could not be effected, and the Angel had not yet revealed, that such was the divine will. Though never soul endured a greater conflict than hers, and that Fear had stretched the strings of her heart to their utmost extension, yet chose she rather that they should break in sunder, than she into Intemperancy. Some women (though chaste, yet cursed, and hasty) having once heard their chastity brought in question, would have omitted all interrogations, and have given the Angel a Sermon for his salutation, and have reviled his name, if not offered violence to his person. But in this sweetest of creatures, mildness and modesty kissed each other; so that nothing could flow from her that was not pleasing and gentle. Yet could not her amazed looks conceal her fear, which afflicts fare more than grief; for we grieve only for what is past, but we fear all that can happen. The merciful Angel reading in her forehead the perplexity of her mind, resolved presently to rid her of the tormenting doubt she was in, and to banish Fear out of that Face reserved only for Beauty, and the Graces to dwell in. He therefore hides this great secret no longer from her, but expounds to her the manner and means of her conception, which no sooner entered her ears, then consent her heart; and with a prostrate soul she made her will conform itself to Gods; Behold, saith she, the handmaid of the Lord, etc. In this consent of hers we may discover almost as many perfections as words. Some draw hence an observation, that the salvation of mankind depended upon her consent, and consequently the damnation upon her refusal. My meditation dares not climb so high, not being able to conceive how possibly the searcher of hearts should receive a repulse from his chosen one, nor how his omnipotency can be confined to one only means in the Redemption of mankind. It shall suffice me to derive hence three of the greatest Christian Virtues, her Faith, her Obedience, her Humility.  

Her Faith.  Faith is the hand whereby we lay hold on Christ, and his Merits, without which, saith S. Austin, all moral virtues whatsoever are no better than gorgeous sins. The dignity and necessity of this supernatural gift cannot but evidently appear to the meanest understanding, in that no man is ignorant that without Christ we cannot be saved, and without Faith we cannot apprehend Christ, nor apply his deserts, and passion to our polluted souls. In this which excels all other perfections did this happy Mother of our Emanuel surpass all other creatures, as here in brief, and hereafter more at large I shall demonstrate. S. Austin both in knowledge and authority infinitely exceeds me, 
Lib. de sanct. Virg. cap. 3.  and therefore I desire you would hear him for me. Strengthened by a singular Faith, saith he, she made God's Son hers, more happy truly in conceiving Christ in her mind, than his flesh in her womb. Endued with this faith she feared, and reverenced him whom she bore, whom as soon as she brought forth she adored, and was the first beholder of the glory of his resurrection. Would I muster up my forces I could produce many other Champions of the same worth and antiquity, that with an indefatigable zeal, do vindicate the faith of this blessed Virgin against some of these latter ages, who accuse her as defective in that wherein she was most accomplished. Their objections have been long since answered by Saint Austin, Saint Ambrose, and divers others of those Primitive times. Saint Austin distinguisheth thus between Zacharies demand and hers. 
Lib. 16. de civet. cap. 24.  Zachary when he says, Whence shall I know this? or, By what means shall I know this, I, and my wife being so aged? he spoke this out of despair, not ●y the way of inquisition. But Marry when she asks; How shall that be, since I know no man? she uttered this enquiring, not despairing. Wherefore to Zachary it is said, thou shalt be dumb because thou believest not; but to her the cause is expounded, because while she doth question, she doubteth not of the promise. And to the same purpose, and almost in the same words speaks Saint Ambrose, whose testimony I omit, lest I should prove tedious, and obscure to the tender sex, to whose profit this weak Essay of mine is chief intended. Yet my zeal to her whose true admirer I am, compels me briefly to deface all those aspersions, which the adversaries to her, and piety have laid upon her. And I am wholly transformed into wonder as oft as 〈◊〉 consider how malice, and he● spawn can be so frontless as grossly to deprave the meaning of the Text only to detract from her, and should be so audacious as to contradict the holy Ghost himself, who by the mouth of Elizabeth pronounceth her blessed, because she believed. True it is, their expositions give a light to the Scriptures, but it is such a one as we receive from lightning, which brings with it rather terror than comfort.  

Her obedience.  Here her obedience calls upon me to cut off, I cannot say, this digression, but vindication of her honour. Though she deserved sovereignty, and command, yet delighted she in nothing more than in this submissive virtue proper only to a Subject, and was a diligent practitioner of it through her whole life in imitation of him who was obedient even to an ignominious death. Her faith, and obedience were of equal speed; for she no sooner heard the Angel relate that the Almighty had ordained she should bear the world's Redeemer, but she believed, and consented that it should be so. She had learned in her infancy, that obedience with God is better than sacrifice, and therefore she was as swift as thought in agreeing to the divine ordinance, that so posterity might distinguish between her obedience, and that of others whose Wills, and Understandings have a combat before they can be brought to a consent. But this was only a lovely branch of that beautiful tree, her humility, on which a perpetual Autumn attended; for it continually bore fruit.  

Her humility.  Of this Virtue I must treat more at large then of the rest, because it is extensive clean through all the actions of her life. Of this there are many sorts, whose several countenances, and shapes we will here draw to the life, lest the Reader be imposed upon, and verily believe he enjoys the true one, when, indeed, he is only possessor of the adulterate.  

natural humility  We will begin with the Natural Humility, which is to be found in many, who being basely borne, and bred, and poorly spirited, aspire not to greatness, but rest fully contented with that sordid calling Fortune hath allotted them. This Humility is none of those that virtue doth warrant. There is another kind which we may call sensual, 
Sensual humility  and this makes men refuse honours, not that they do not desire them, but for the trouble, care, and danger that attend●● them. This Humility is base, and degenerate. There is a third proud one of the Hypocrite, 
Hypocritical humility  who though he be ambitious of dignities, and seeks them by all cunning, and undermining ways, yet (to be reputed humble) he seems to fly them. This Humility is false, and feigned. A fourth there is philosophical, 
Philosophical humility  and moral, and this consists in the knowledge of a man's self, and his miserable condition, so that by a natural light he can see to humble himself, and be serviceable to all men, yet no further than the dignity of his estate allows, and humane reason requires. So that in this man's opinion it should not be humility, but baseness in a Gentleman to pardon an injury done him, or to place himself in an Hospital as a servant to attend the sick, and needy. This Humility will not endure the Christian Test. A fifth Mosaical, 
Mosaical, or judaical Humility.  or judaical, offers itself to our consideration; and this hath a near resemblance of the true one; for by the perusal of the written Law we come to know ourselves more perfectly than all the Philosophers of the world can teach us. To this purpose Saint Paul saith; From the Law comes the knowledge of sin: and in another place, I had not known concupiscence to be a sin had not the Law said, Thou shalt not covet. In this Mirror we discern our original corruption, and all our disordinate passions, and affections, together with our ignorance, and frailty. By this Touchstone we find all our moral philosophical virtues to be but counterfeit. But this carries with it a very detrimental discommodity; for it leads us beyond hope of salvation, and there leaves us. For when a man shall consider that an unattainable perfection, and an exact observance of the Law is required at his hands (wherein he is commanded to honour God with all his soul, and with all his might, and to love his neighbour as himself) and yet withal shall discover in himself an utter disability to execute these holy commands, a frozen dijection will so benumb all his thoughts that not one of them will be of force to uphold itself from sinking into the bottomless pit of despair.  
But with the true Christian Humility it is otherwise which (having first made a submissive acknowledgement of its own ingratitude, 
The true Christian Humility.  pride, avarice, injustice, impiety, and infinite other imperfections) by a strong apprehension lays hold on the mercy of God in Christ. And this goodness of God towards us makes our sins more odious even in our own eyes; no otherwise then the tender kindness of his Father made the prodigal child more clearly see his own error, and disobedience. For this makes that speech of God to the jews, When you come into the Land of promise, than you shall know your sins? as if he should have said, How often have you disinherited me, and not only murmured against me, but abandoned me, and adored Idols, making them your guides, and attributing to them the benefits you have received from me? so the regenerated Christian being once entered into the spiritual Kingdom of Christ, sees more clearly his sins, than he did before his calling, as having received a greater Light. The excellency of this virtue in a Christian is beyond humane expression. Not amiss a learned Father of the Church styles this the Treasurer of all other virtues. 
Hieron. in Epist. ad Celant.  The ancient Christians commonly usurp Humility for virtue itself. Christ calls it poorness of Spirit, and discoursing of man's Beatitude, sets it in the Front. This and Pride are at endless odds; for this is sociable, and loves company, whereas pride affects solitude, and is for the most part alone. In the Empire of Pride, too cannot stand quietly together, whereas in the dominions of Humility, an infinite number may be placed without either combat, or strife. Pride is never void of fear, and doubt, whereas this stands secure with jonas in the bottom of the Sea. Pride is ever ambitious of the first seat, this of the lowest, and therefore is as much extolled by all men, as the other cried down. Pride assumes all to itself, and is full of self-love. This refuseth even its own due, and undervalues itself, as knowing that it can justly call nothing its own, but sin. Pride storms at an injury received; this embraceth all occasions that may exercise its patience. Pride (like all things puffed up, and light) is wavering, and blown here and there by every gust of Fortune; this in stability is a rock, not in hardness, being soft, and white as the Down of Swans. Yet though this Virtue be of all other the most innocent, and submissive, it is withal the most powerful; for, as nature, so God abhors vacuity, and therefore (finding the humble utterly empty of affectation, presumption, and what else is derogatory to his honour) he fills him with his grace and spirit. What should I say more? Humility is fearless in danger, free in bondage, rich in poverty, quiet in persecution, noble, and gloriorious in ignominy, lofty in lowness, joyful in anguish, and happy in the midst of misery. This made Moses speechless, Abraham to acknowledge himself dust and ashes, john the Baptist to esteem himself a mere Voice, and Saint Paul to account himself the greatest of all sinners. This jewel was so fair in Christ's eye, that to purchase it, he underwent not only poverty, misery, and all indignities, but even execration, and malediction. What would we judge of a great Prince, who, in stead of enlarging his Territories, should abase himself so fare as to become a poor subject? Why this did Christ, who (being of all things the greatest, and best from all eternity) by humility became of all the lowest, and descended even to the profession of service to the meanest of his creatures. It is also an evident mark of his humility, that he chose to be borne of simple and obscure Parents, whereas he might, if he would, have allied himself to the greatest Princes. This gave occasion to the jews to mock him, saying, Is not joseph his Father, and Mary his Mother? True it is that he was of the House of David, but when he was borne, it was in its declination, and of no repute. As the Moon fourteen days together, to our sight, increaseth, and fourteen again diminisheth, till at length it be seen no more: so in the fourteen generations from Abraham to David, the House of David received advancement in honour, and splendour, and was in his time at the full height; but in the fourteen following generations it was in the wane, and in the days of Christ near utter extinction. And whereas he might have inserted Sarah, Rebecca, and many other Saints in his Genealogy, he placed Tamar, Raab, Ruth, Bersabe, and others of an incestuous race, to show the world, that, though he hated sin, he abhorred not sinners. What man is there who, having a lascivious wife detected of whoredom will take her again? Yet Christ, having espoused the adulterate soul of man, receives her into grace and favour after she hath committed millions of adulteries. To this effect saith the Prophet, Though thou hast committed fornication with many Lovers, yet return, and I will receive thee. Who is there that being injured will not only forgive the Offender, but seek his friendship, I, and lay down his life for him? All this did Christ, who (being grievously and heinously abused by man) not only demanded his pardon, as if he himself had been faulty, but made an oblation of his own heartblood to quench the wrath of God justly conceived against him. Another admirable act of his humility was, that (God having given him all power in heaven and earth, in so much that he could at his pleasure have destroyed judas, whose treason he foreknew) all the revenge he took, was to wash his feet, and to call him Friend when he came to apprehend him. To these I may add his living in obscurity from his twelfth to his thirtieth year, in all which time we read not any thing of him. I will conclude with all the crosses and calamities he endured, of which in his life he never reaped any fruit, and at his death had his Innocency only predicated by one, and that one a Thief. In a word, during his abode here below (whether you consider his Doctrine, Actions, or Passion) he was not so much delighted with the exercise of any virtue, as of this gentle, meek one, that so he might imprint it as his own sacred stamp, or mark in those minds which he would have known to be his. And, above the rest, into the chaste bosom of his dearest Mother did he send this divine gift, before his birth by infusion, and afterwards engrafted it there by example. 
Her humility.  And this we may well perceive by her so closely following the pattern that she precedes all but himself in this mild, offenceless virtue. In this rare quality as she had an unequalled Master, so she proved a matchless Scholar. He who is ignorant of the excellency she hath artained to in this one perfection, Idare pronounce him withal ignorant of Gods holy Writ, and incapable of all goodness derived thence. Yet some sacrilegious thiefs there are, who rob this beautiful Temple of its prime ornament, this sweetest Garland of its fairest Flower. They maintain (me thinks the earth should shake itself, and them when they utter it) that she was humbled, not humble. These I may more properly aver to be learning, not learned. They may with as much justice deprive the Rose of her blush, the Lily of her white, the Violet of her purple, and the Crystal of its clearness, as her of this precious ornament, which she obtained by a studious pious imitation, and preserved with a holy care. But my wonder is the less when I contemplate the continual Antipathy between Impudence, and Innocence. Whosoever shall settle his meditation on her discourse with the Angel, her pilgrimage to her cousin's house, and her divine Hymn there (though he have sworn himself the slave of prejudice) he will break his chain, and reassume so much freedom as to declare her truly humble. Sure I am if they would have her half a degree humbler, they make her wholly abject. To my thinking these six words alone (Behold the handmaid of the Lord) are able to convince of error six thousand such shallow Authors. To those who are placed in an extreme height, all things below seem fare smaller than indeed, they are, but to themselves they appear the same; but here it falls out otherwise, where the introducer of one pregnant blessing that contained all other into the world (and therefore worthily placed above it) thinks all things under her fare greater than herself, and above her in value. Certainly all the ancient Fathers with one consent affirm that she deserved to be Empress of all others, who humbled herself below them all. For my own part, I am so transported with the meditation of her meekness that me thinks I hear her thus expressing the humility of her sanctified heart to the heavenly Nuntio.  
Is this a delightful dream, or a pleasing vision that thus ravisheth my soul? What a lovely prospect is this? What do mine eyes behold? Cedars stooping to shrubs? Mountains to valleys? The Ocean courting a Riveret? I discover more than all this. I see Heaven descending to Earth, the supreme Majesty to humane misery, a blessed Angel to a wretched mortal. True it is I am the structure of Gods own hands, but an edifice not clear, not fair enough for the habitation of his only Son. Alas, alas! I am a vessel too unclean to enclose a Deity. Is this flesh of mine pure enough to cloth purity itself? I am not worthy to be reputed his child, much less his parent. Oh lend me thy harmonious voice, thy heavenly Rhetoric, thou celestial Orator, that I may render him thanks, and praise; though not equal, yet nearer to the grace I have received. I deny not but we see his Name written in every thing here below, but in obscure Characters, like the discovery of the Sun in a puddle. Thou art nearer him in essence, in presence, in goodness, in knowledge, and canst find out wor●s more suitable to his worth. Wherefore I earnestly beseech thee in thy best phrase to present the unfeigned gratitude of his most humble Handmaid, who esteems herself unworthy to touch, much more to conceive him. Neither shalt thou thyself depart without most humble thanks for the eternal honour thou hast done me by this visit.  
It is probable enough she said much to this purpose, this form of speech being agreeable to her disposition, and demeanour. To conclude this point, six clear demonstrations of her Humility eminent above the rest, the holy Writ offers to our serious, and reverend consideration. The first in this submissive conference with the Angel. The second in the house of Zachary, where the more her virtue is predicated by her cousin, the more she humbles herself. The third in her delivery, where she meekly submitted her self to all wants, and inconveniences. The fourth in her Purification, when she observed the custom of other unclean sinful women, and ranked herself with them. The fifth in betrothing herself to a Carpenter, and in paying as great an obedience to him as ever woman did to husband, and in joining with him in labour to get a poor living, to maintain themselves, and their Son. The sixth in having a care of the poor, and in associating them at all times. But of all these I shall treat more at large in the course of this divine story, whose order now brings me to the mystical conception of her blessed Son, our only Lord, and Saviour jesus Christ.  
The heavenly Ambassador having executed his great Master's command, 
Her conception.  departs, leaves God, and Man in the womb, and the Son of Righteousness is now risen in the virginal orb. For this is the 
* This point is much controverted, and I leave it to the discreet Reader what to believe. Lib. 18. Moral. ca 27.  tenant of the true, and ancient Catholic Church, that she conceived immediately after the Angel's speech, whom I had rather follow, then accompany many of these later times who oppose it. I will only produce a few testimonies, and that of Gregory the great shall be the Leader. The Angel, saith he, declaring, and the Spirit approaching, instantly the Word is in the womb, and presently in the womb the Word is made flesh, the incommutable essence coeternal to him with the Father, 
De Symbol. ad Catechum.  and the holy Ghost still remaining. Him secondeth Saint Austin, of all the Fathers the most subtle and solid. These ensuing are his own words. When the Angel saluted the Virgin, than did the holy Ghost make her fruitful, then did that woman conceive a man without a man, than was she replentsht with grace, than she received the Lord, that he might be in her who made her. And in another place he writeth thus. Make no delay, 
Serm. 2. infesto Annun. Domin.  O Virgin, say but the word speedily to the Messenger, and receive thy Son, give thy Faith, and feel the virtue of it. Behold, saith she, the Handmaid of the Lord, be it to me according to thy word. Here was no delay at all, the divine Agent returneth, and Christ enters the Virginal womb. The mother of God is suddenly made fruitful, and is predicated happy throughout all ages. She presently conceived the Divinity of the Word without the fellowship of a man. In this celebration of the Nuptials between God and nature, while my affection advanceth one step, my reverence retires another. Here Reason is transformed into Admiration, Eloquence into silence. Some are rather solicitous to search into the profundity of the Mystery, than humbly to acknowledge it, and by Reason seek to pry into that which excludes all reason. What was before time itself, 
This conception was predestinated before Time, from all eternity.  is believed, not comprehended by man; for that transcends the understanding of man which was before his nature. No eyes but those of Faith, can penetrate this Wonder. All things in God are above reason, nothing above Faith. Here a Virgin conceives without the loss of Chastity, a Maid remains an immaculate Mother. Eternity is here encompassed by time, glory masked in misery. A thing finite contains Infinity, a mortal encloseth eternity. Here the Son is as ancient as his Father, elder than his Mother, and is made of her whom he made. Here is a concurrence, or a congregation of Miracles. It is a miracle that in the forming of such, and so great an issue the aid of man should be utterly excluded, and that as he was man, he was only made of the pure blood of the Virgin. It is a miracle that the ordinary number of days required in the forming of a humane body is not here observed, but in a very moment without succession of time a body is framed, and animated. But a greater miracle than all these is that at the same instant wherein the soul is joined to the body, the Divinity and Humanity are united in one person, and the eternal Word is inseparably linked with the flesh; so that the Son of God and man is the same in the Virgin's womb. As for the manner of her conception, I do not more marvel at the supernatural strangeness of it, than I do at the daring inquisition, and sensual expression of some, who relate it in words as gross as their own understandings. I only wish I could free the most learned, and ingenious Erasmus from the just imputation of a lascivious folly in the Essaying to unfold this sacred Mystery. He compares God to a Wooer, the Angel to a solicitor, and Mary to the beloved, and proceeds further than either the divine Will, 
Eras. in Annotat. Lei in Appendice ad Antapologiam Sutoris.  or humane modesty permit. He treats of this venerable, this stupendious encounter between the Divinity and Humanity in the same amorous phrase with which the Poets describe the wanton meeting of Dido and Aeneas in the Cave. I will not rip up the particulars in which he is faulty this way, lest I run into the same error which in him I reprehend, and imprint a blush on the cheeks of my bashful Readers. This conception was as spotless, and as clear from all pollution as is a sweet Odour when it enters the sense. Here, saith Saint Austin, 
Serm. 11. in natal. Domini.  the Word is the Husband, the Ear the Wife, in this glorious splendour is the Son of God conceived, in this purity generated. Of the same clear, 
Lib. 1. de operib. spiritus sancti. cap. 9  and clean sense is Rupertus on this very passage. When the truly believing Maid, saith he, opening at once her mind and mouth said, Behold the Handmaid of the Lord, be it to me according to thy Word; in the very instant (to make good the words of the Angel) the holy Ghost came upon her, and entered through the open doors of her Faith. What part did he enter? first the Chapel of her chaste bosom, than the Temple of her holy and incorrupt womb: her bosom, that she might be made a Prophetess, her womb, that she might become a mother. Now for the time of this conception, whether or no it were precisely on the 25. day of March, I will not strive to chain any man's belief to a resolution herein, though I find many old and great Doctors of the Church to have held it for a truth. Many questions here arise which I have neither time, nor desire to discuss. I will only look into the deportment of this incomparable creature after that she knew she was become the receptacle of a Deity. The mere apprehension of such an unheard of honour in other women, would have begotten pride, arrogancy, and disdain, not only of all their sex, but of mankind itself. They would have repined at their breathing of common air, and (scorning the earth they trod on) have nourished an ambition to walk on the battlements of heaven. But this Maid above imagination excellent, the more she was graced and dignified, the more she was humbled. When all men admired, and even adored her, and judged her worthy to be presently assumed into heaven, she was ready to creep into the centre of the earth, and there to hid her, thinking that every one pointed at her, as undeserving that supreme dignity conferred on her by God himself. And whereas others would have studied nothing but rich Tissues, and embroideries to wear, and the most costly Persian Carpers to tread on, she meditated simplicity in apparel, and a good pain of shoes to bear her afoot journey over the steep and flinty mountains, intending to bestow a Visit on her cousin Elizabeth.  
Lus. The Visitation.  
39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the Hill Country &.  
40. And entered into the house of zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth.  
41. And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leapt in her womb.  

Her visitation.  Many of her kind, and in her high estate, and condition would hardly have acknowledged, or received their kindred, much less have trotted over hills, and dales, to make a tender of their duties to them. Here is a rare spectacle, Humility climbing, a thing as contrary to the nature of it, as it is to things ponderous of themselves to fly. ●his sovereign of her sex havir●● the celestial Monarch includeth the narrow compass of her womb, made haste to pass those steep, stony, and rugged hills, the willingness of her mind enabling the feebleness of her body. And, to say the truth, whether should she (whose worth exalted her above all things else) go but to places as eminent in situation as she in sweetness of disposition? Whither should this Eagle fly, but to the summity of the world? Sure I am she could not sore above the pitch of her own value. She forsook the sweet embellished valleys, where with ease she might have walked, and betook herself to the craggy mountains, which not without infinite labour, and pain she could ascend. By these rough, and uneven ways, have the holy Martyrs themselves mounted the promontory of virtue, and have found the end of their journey as sweet as their travel bitter. Overtue the minds that travel to thy Indies how rich they return! They come bacl laden with those precious ●naments that beautify this life, and those Panchayan odours that sweeten the deprivation of it, and perfume posterity. True it is that thy seas are rough, & to him that lancheth into the deep, appear at first terrible, but if with confidence & constancy he ploughs them up, and with a fixed patience endures the frowns of an angry sky, he shall at length discover a calm smooth as thy own forehead, on which Fortune, Time, and vice could never yet imprint one wrinkle. Under thy sacred safe conduct hath many a superstitiously devout distressed female pilgrim (after the endurance of heat, and cold without, of hunger, and thirst within, and other miserable accidents innumerable) arrived with comfort at the supposed shrine of this our blessed Saint, who here (having no other guard than thy potent self) exposeth her dainty feet to the known cruelty of flints hard, and sharp alike, and her sacred person to labour, and infinite hazards incident to the poor Traveller. She who meriteth to sit under a cloth of state, beset with the earth's most precious stones, and a presence thronged with Empresses, as happy waiters graced in this attendance doth here commit herself into the hands of solitude, and danger. Thus did the Spouse of the holy Spirit overcome the narrow, and difficult paths of these steep mountains, Charity leading her by one hand, and Humility by the other. And if we diligently peruse Gods sacred Word, we shall there find the Mountains honoured with many notable acts. Where did that parent of an innumerable issue, Abraham, prepare the immolation of his only son? On a mountain. Where did Moses receive the Tables of the divine Law? On a mountain. Where did Christ, (his Humanity concealed) transfigure his face into a countenance of eternal glory? On a mountain. Where did he shed his purest blood, and lay down his dearest life as an expiation for our heinous and manifold sins? On a mountain. But why these famous Acts were performed on mountains rather than in valleys, Reason hath not a sight strong, and quick enough to discover. But this is evident, that God hath not placed Heaven itself on the one side of us, or under our feet, but over our heads, that we might erect our looks, and fix them on his eternal habitation, and aspire to enter the celestial Canaan; indeed our true country, out of which while we live, we lead but a dying, and a slavish life, and are no other than unfortunate exiles. And surely the very sight of sublime places breeds in us high thoughts. We commonly look down on things despicable, the eyes of admiration are bend upward.  
The cause why she took this journey, I shall endeavour to relate so briefly, that I will strive to avoid even long syllables. Yet do so many pious doctrines, and uses, flow from these two Crystalline springs, that they alone are sufficient to compose an entire book of a vast volume.  
The Angel that he might beget, and strengthen a belief in Mary of what he had said confirms this miracle with another, and tells her that her Cousin Elizabeth also in her old declining age had conceived a son, and that this was now the sixth month of her being quick. These glad tidings, no doubt, delighted much our blessed Lady's mind, where they could not stay without rendering a fair increase of fruit, first in meditation, then in action. Questionless, she no sooner heard them but her soul was delivered of a twin of vows; the first was, to praise God, that he out of his best pleasure, and infinite goodness had vouchsafed to crown her cousin's fruitful virtue with the blessing of a child, she being now in years, when despair had chased all such hopes out of her breast, and barrenness (as the world conceived) had sealed up her womb. The other was, all impediments set apart, to give her cousin a visit in her own Country, and habitation. Having performed the first, her thanksgiving for her, she undertakes the latter, her journey to her. Nor was she long about it, but with all speed possible set forward, lest she might seem not readily to obey the incitation of the holy Ghost, or be wanting to her cousin in any good office she could do her. Neither could the consideration of her own Majesty, of the teeming estate she was in, 
In concione de visitat. Mariae.  of the disasters to which Travellers are subject, of the unevenness of the way, or of the 
* From Nazareth to not many affirm.  length (which Melancthon affirms to have been twenty Dutch miles) deter jerusalem, where that Elizabeth dwelled, modern Divines but S. Austin, and Beda her from undergoing this tedious pilgrimage. And as she readily undertakes it, so she makes haste in it. She well understood that delays in spiritual affairs were as dangerous as relapses in bodily diseases.  

Her Charity.  Behold here a prodigal Charity that hath no respect of itself, being only intentive on the good of another. It was charity that withdrew her from her beloved privacry into the public view, which till then she had ever shunned. It was Charity that added wings to her feet, and armed her heart against all sinister accidents that could happen. It was Charity that emboldened her to go to her cousin without any invitation, not being expected by her, or, happily, by face known to her, and with confidence of welcome to enter her house. It was charity that caused her to tender service there where it was due to herself. It was charity that cheered her up, and sent her on this congratulating Embassy. Lastly, it was Charity that invited sanctity itself enclosed in this happy Maid to hasten to the sanctification of the child in the womb of Elizabeth.  
Having patiently passed the troubles and annoyances of her voyage, she with joy at length arrives at her cousin's habitation, into which she no sooner puts her head, but the reverend Prophetess (having no other revealer, nor prompter than the holy Spirit) immediately knoweth the Mother of her Lord to be there present, and knowing doth acknowledge it, and acknowledging doth magnify her perfections, & professeth her house blessed in being graced with her vouchsafing to be in it. She at first sight discerns in her so many, and so great concealed virtues and mysteries, that a man would judge she had been present at the interview of her, and the Angel. Nor did she conceal these her excellencies, but did describe them with such skill and zeal, that Fame was even proud to repeat them. Can the domestical servants think you (having heard their Mistress predicate her divine qualities, and transcendent condition) contain themselves from divulging a joy which a narrow humane bosom is not capacious enough to receive? Can they abstain from justly boasting that a beauteous blessed Maid resided then in their house, which together with their souls were by her glorious presence enlightened?  
But I can no longer withhold my pen from setting down the journey itself, and their mutual salutations in the same words wherein the Text commends them to us. And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill-Country with haste to a City of juda, and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass as Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the Babe sprang in her belly, and Elizabeth was filled with the holy Ghost: and she cried with a loud voice, and said. Blessed art thou amongst women, because the fruit of thy womb is blessed. And whence cometh this to pass that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? For lo as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the Babe sprang in my belly for joy. And blessed is she that believed; for those things shall be performed which were told her from the Lord. Then Mary said; My soul magnifieth the Lord, and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour; for he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because he that is mighty hath magnified me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is from generation to generation on them that fear him. He hath showed strength with his arm, he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things, the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath upholden Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy. As he hath spoken to our fathers, to wit, Abraham, and his seed for ever.  
In this salutation of Elizabeth, the springing of the Babe in her womb at the sound of our sweetest Ladies voice requires not only our observation but astonishment. He that was greater than all the Prophets as yet not borne, and enclosed in the narrow compass of the Womb no sooner heard the charming voice of this heavenly Nightingale, but he leapt for joy, essaying then, and there to exercise the office of the Forerunner of his Master▪ The asseveration of some that this was not an effect of the Virgin's virtue, 
S. Bernard says, that if an Jnfant was so overjoyed at the sound of her voice, what will the joy of the Celestial inhabitants be, when they shall see and hear her? Serm. 1. de assump. Mariae.  but of the Word incarnated may be admitted fo● good, if we only have an eye to her Virtue, and exclude the aid, and power of the divine Grace. But all Wisdom's Children are by Truth, herself informed that many things are lawfully attributed to secondary Causes, the primary and efficient cause not rejected. And this way we may impute to Mary, what work soever God with her co-operating hath wrought either in the house of Zachary, or else where for the benefit, and instruction of us poor mortals Neither will any sound, and solid judgement attribute any thing to the conspicuous merits of the Virgin Mary, or any other Saint, without the concurrence and predication of the divine Grace, who by those Saints that serve, and fear him, distributes his gifts, and favours to Mankind. That sentence of Christ is no way obscure; 
joh. 14.  He that believes in 〈◊〉, shall do the works that I do, and greater. By many examples the Scriptures do confirm the coming of Saints to any man's dwelling to confer upon him both Grace and Happiness. Three Angels came to Abraham, 
Gen. 18.  whom he entertained taking them for pilgrims, when the Patriarch forthwith with became fortunate in the obtaining of that for which so long he had offered up vows to God, namely a son; his wife and he, being by the course of nature, past the generation of children. 
Gen. 19  Again, two Angels came to Lot, and lodged in his house at Sodom, and saved their host, and his two daughters from being reduced to cinders with their City. jacob visited wicked Laban, 
Gen. 30.  to whom God granted a singular blessing for that idolater, in so much that he himself confessed it, saying, I have learned by experience that God hath blessed me for thy sake Elizeus to express the kindness he received at the hands of his hostess, 
4. Kin. 4.  the Shunamite, restored her dead son to life. The Apostles themselves brought peace, and felicity to all hospitable men whose dwellings they entered. And shall the arrival of Gods own mother at the house of Zachary prove only vain, and fruitless in bringing no divine consolation to her kindred? Yes surely, Elizabeth tasted the fruit of her all-gladding presence; for she could not conceal the pleasure conceived in her heart, but uttered it in the best words she could. john himself also tellisht it, and by his motion gave what signs he could of the content, and worship he received, and paid. Neither could it otherwise be but the Mansion of Zachary and the adjacent country were both delighted, and sanctified by the three month's residence of her, who bore not about, but in her, the Author, and consummatour of all piety. Their joy, questionless, was beyond imagination great, in that they had never before seen Gods gifts, and graces passing through so pure an organ of his Spirit. But the aged Prophetess herself, doubtless was in a holy delicious Trance at the very first step she made over her threshold, and thought her house, but half blest till the other foot was in. Their mutual salutation surely was low, and submissive, which I cannot better express then by the supposition of the encounter of two shades softly creeping o'er the face of the earth. The Evangelist delivereth only the Compendium of their conference, which could not be but as long as serious. They treated surely of deep miraculous Mysteries, as of the incarnation of the Word, of the persecution of her, and Gods only Son, as also of his passion, and the salvation of Mankind. And here it will neither be a thing impious nor impertinent (binding ourselves strictly to the substance of their short discourse) to aim at the amplification thereof, by which happily it may come to pass that the supposition of what they might say may turn to a Truth of what they said indeed. This then, or like to this was, or might be the speech of the holy Matron to the more holy Virgin.  
What looks shall I put on? What words shall I assume, what entertainment shall I find out, O Princely Virgin! to give thee a welcome answerable to thy merits who art Superior, to the Saints in Heaven, and the prime glory of thy Sex on Earth? I am wholly transformed into shame when I consider every way thy Excellency, and my unworthiness. Alas! what is there in miserable me that should invite the mother of my Lord to afford me a visit, who am the meanest of his Creatures? What equality is here? Thou who art full of Grace, comest to me void of it: Thou who art famous for thy Fertility to me who have been a long time infamous for my Barrenness. Thy Charity and Humility made thee forget thy sublime and my low estate, and conducted thee to my poor Cottage no way fit to receive thee. Most of thy Sex having attained to thy supreme condition (who didst conceive and nourish the Creator and Redeemer of the world with that thy clearest blood of which he was made) would have advanced their heads above Mortality, and disdaining all inferior Conversation would have demanded as their due, to be assumed into the imperial Heaven. But in thee, one heat hath expelled another, the flames of thy zeal have utterly consumed those of thy Pride (if any thou ever hadst) and thou art so fare from vaunting, that thou by all means seekest to conceal that dainty Fruit of which all Posterity shall taste, and never be satisfied, and for which all Generations shall call thee blessed. But from others thou mayst hid it, from me thou canst not, to whom the Spirit hath revealed it, and the springing of the Child in my womb hath testified it; and if the Children of Israel should be so dull, and unhappy, as not to apprehend it, God would give the stones an articulate voice proclaim it. The Lord of me, and all things else, hath firmly seated himself in thee, and chosen thee for his mother, to the end that the seed of Abraham may break the head of the Serpent, and the Son of David bring relief to his forlorn and distressed Church, straight besieged by the Prince of Darkness, and his infernal Troops. True it is, I am above thee in years, but in desert infinitely below thee, and therefore aught to have prevented this thy painful joyrney by coming first to thee to congratulate thy happiness, and not only in the behalf of myself, my kindred, and Nation, but in the name of God's selected people to tender thee most humble though not condign thanks for so readily assenting to bear, bring forth, and educate their Sovereign Lord and Redeemer. But thou having gotten the start of me in goodness, art come to me ere I could set forward towards thee, and now thou art here, Irepine at nothing more that at my disability to serve thee. Thou who meritest to have the earth, the water, and the air ransacked to please thy , shall have nothing here but the simple viands of Nature prepared by as simple an Art. But trust me, what ever is here is truly thine own, and myself to boot. My willing heart to wait on thee, and obey all thy Commands, shall supply all other defects. Such is my desire to attend, and please thee that do but signify thy pleasure by the least beck or nod, and thou shalt see how nimbly I will bestir these aged limbs, and place before thine eyes a plain and evident conversion of Impoteney into Ability. I shall not think any pains my weakness can endure too great, nor any cost my purse can compass too dear for thee. Wherefore I earnestly beseech thee to bless me, and my house with thy long abode, and let not our course and slender fare make thee hasten my death in thy sudden return. O my brightest Star! envy me not thy comfortable shine, but let me Live in it till I exchange it for a brighter in Heaven. The days of my Pilgrimage are even now at an end; O leave me not then, who art the Staff and Solace of mine Age! but stay the arrival of my last minute, and with thy fairest hands close up these my dim eyes. So shall I bid farewell to this world with content, and enter the other with glory. Thou my sweetest Princess who hast verified the Prophecy of Esay, and being an unspotted Virgin, dost conceive and bring forth to the world our Emanuel; grant this my first, and most humble request. O thou daughter of Abraham! who hast surpassed thy Father's Faith in believing things which seem more impossible to humane Reason: if in this rude speech of mine I have over-talked myself, or underspoken thee, impute it to my declining and doting years, and grant me thy Pardon. Thus I end, but not without adding to those I have already given thee, a Myriad of Welcomes, and a million of Aves more.  
The virtuous Maid undoubtedly was not here mute, but divided her speech between God and her Cousin. She directed (with I know not whether greater Piety, or Prudency) her praise to the former ere she would vouchsafe to make a reply to the latter. An answer without all peradventure her humanity afforded her, and to this purpose for aught we know, might it be.  
Dearest Cousin, your own wisdom will plead my excuse, in that I rendered him laud to whom it belongs, ere I accepted of it myself to whom it is not due. You magnify me, and I my Creator. Your sacred issue moved with delight at the sound of my harsh voice, and my spirit rejoiceth in the Mercy of my sweetest Saviour. You give me attributes more proper to my Maker than to me, not unlike those Heathen who take off the heads from the Images of their Gods, and fasten them to the shoulders of their Prince's Statues. Your commendations fit yourself better than me, and resemble those resplendent rays which return into the radiant body that sent them forth. In a word, you have subscribed my Name to your own Character. The humbling and undervaluing of yourself is a strong argument of your virtue; for●● in a field of Corn we see the empty ears to hold up their heads, the fuller to hang them down. I am in my Spring, you in your Autumn; I produce the Blossom, but you bear the fruit. What the most penetrating Eye can discern in me, the most partial Tongue will call a superficial ornament, but the dimmest sight may soon discover that in you, which the most detracting Pen must be forced to style essential worth. Thus dignified, give me leave to tell you, sweetest Cousin, that you offer me an affront together with your service. A seemly sight it were surely to behold decrepit age waiting on active youth, wisdom on vanity; a venerable Matron on a simple Girl. The scope of my journey is to attend you, to lend you my strength, now your own fails you, and to serve you through all the offices of your Handmaid. Do but intimate your will by the least sign, and you shall see me fly to perform it. Your Invention cannot devise any thing so impossible, which my will (ambitious to please you) will not judge most easy to be executed. Whereas you entreat me to stay long with you, you transgress the Laws of Friendship in petitioning her whom you may justly and boldly command. A thing strange to me it is, that you should think me so stupid and senseless, as that I should need an invitation to be made truly happy. Before I had the honour to see you, I envied those that enjoyed your sweet and divine conversation, and thought they enriched themselves with my loss; wherefore a staff to beat me hence is more requisite, than Oratory to keep me here. Ever since the blessed Angel imparted to me the news of your being fruitful, my desire to see you hath been restless, and next to God I have only meditated you and your goodness. O my best Cousin! whose fervent and devout prayers obtain victories, whose Fasts abundance, joy● with me in thanksgiving to God for the grace which I shall never be able to conceive, much less to express or deserve. Him with al● my heart and with all my soul I invoke, that blessings may fall upon you before, and above your wishes, and that you may yet long live to his glory, and my Comfort.  
Had their three months' demeanour each to other, together with their godly discourse, and pious practice of it, been penned to posterity (had all other Books been burnt save that and the Bible) the Female sex in these two should have found matter ample enough to exercise both their Meditation and action. Sure I am the Romish Church, 
Sess. 43. Concil. Basileen.  as in an honourable menoriall of this their Charitable Encounter, hath ordained the Annual Celebration of a solemn Feast. And the Council of Basil of what authority in other things know not certainly in this one particular very commendable) hath decreed the solemnisation of this Festival day in these very words.  
The Blessed Virgin being instructed the celestial Messenger, and conducted by the Holy Ghost, ascended in haste the mountainous Country, and entered the humble house of Zachary. For JESUS who was in her womb, wade haste to bless john as yet in his Mother's Belly. And the most glorious Virgin visiting her Cousin Elizabeth, was pleasing to her both in her loving visitation, and fruitful Colloquy. The Consideration of this Excelling Mystery ought to delight the minds of the Faithful, wherein these two glorious Mothers (who bore about them the comencement and accomplishment of our Salvation) did so familiarly communicate their joys, and wherein the most excellent Virgin Mary of the House of David, and Elizabeth the most venerable amongst the Daughters of Aaron discoursed together. The first of these had enclosed in her womb the Creator and Redeemer of us all, the latter his Forerunner. These Saints being made Mothers by a Miracle conferred together of the Divine benefits they had received. The meeting of this worthy pair was most happy, and illustrated with great, and glorious testimonies of the divine Grace. The one conceived by the cooperation of the holy Spirit, the ●her by Miracle in her old Age, and both their issues foretold by the celestial Angel. john as yet imprisoned in his Mother's womb doth worship his Lord borne to him in Mary's Belly; and Elizabeth filled with the Holy Ghost doth congratulate the Conception of the Son of God, and the Savi●● of Mankind, and prophesying declares her Cousin blessed in believing, and contemplating the mysteries revealed to her. On the other side Mary full of unutterable joy, laid up all these say in her heart, which before she had heard from the Angel, and now from Elizabeth, and breaks out into a Song of Thanksgiving to the Lord. Who can sufficiently praise so great Mysteries? Who can declare those joys to the full? john not yet borne rejoiceth, Elizabeth is delighted with the arrival of the Virgin, Mary is extremely pleased in the Mysteries, the Saviour of the world is acknowledged by his Forerunner, not only the Angels, but Heaven and Earth resent the pleasure, and the whole Trinity is glorified with new praises. Wherefore the greatness of these joys is to be extolled with especial commendations, and with singular solemnities to be celebrated, and the Lord in the womb, the Virgin that bears him, the barren that conceives, and the Forerunner that it sanctified aught to be presented with all imaginable praises and honours.  
With this pious and grateful ordinance of the Church I conclude the visitation of our incomparable Lady, and now proceed to her Delivery.  

Her delivery.  We read in holy Writ of three supernatural Productions, the one of Adam, the other of Eve, the last of Christ, which as most miraculous we are now to treat of. Here in his Nativity, as before in his Conception, let us turn Inquisition into thanksgiving, and with one spirit and voice sing aloud, 
Ps. 118.22.  The stone which the Builders refused is the head of the corner. This was the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoice, and be glad in it. This is our wedding-day, wherein by the Son we are joined to the Father. This is the day of the new union, wherein he who is God remaineth the same that he was, yet for our sakes is borne, and made what he was not; wherein he that was every where without a Body, is made present to us by a Body, that what God hath by Nature, men might receive by Grace. This is a great, a joyful, a fortunate, a desired day, the end of the Law, the end of the Prophets, the beginning of the Gospel, nay the Gospel itself. This is a day of State, ushered by the Angels, followed by the Apostles. Let our Minds remove the distance of Time and place, and dwell a while with our all-holy-Lord and blessed Lady, lest we lose the pleasure of this day, the least Accident whereof is Mysterious. What a brave assembly of Visitants of all Conditions resorted this day to this place, which then might rightly be called the Rendezvous of the Saints? Would you see those who are above men, but below him who is borne? Behold the Angels singing his birth. Do you desire to behold the married? Here you have Zachary and Elizabeth. The unmarried? Here you have simeon. Widows? Here you have Anna. Priests? Here again you have Zachary. Wise men? Here you have them from the East. Idiots? You have here the Shepherds. But here is to be noted, that these keepers of Beasts hear the voice of the Angels before any of the other, first receive the Gospel, and first divulge it. And in this they were more happy than Augustus himself, who (though he had made a firm Peace by Sea and Land, and had now the third time shut up the Temple of janus) yet was he ignorant of the blessed Peace concluded on betwixt God and Man. O how much sometimes Ignorance avails in Divine matters! Kings, Potentates, the Rulers of the Earth, and the wise of this world are asleep while Christ is borne. These most simple of Mortals, and innocent as the creatures they tend, watch all night, and therefore are first made partakers of these joyful news. As their own wool not yet dipped in any dye readily drinks in any colour they please to bestow on it: So their minds void of all humane wisdom, greedily sucked in the Divine; Faith is the Compendium of Salvation, and humane knowledge of times the obstacle of Faith. Aristotle having confined to Heaven, the Maker, and Mover of it, would never have believed his birth here below. Plato would have derided this miraculous relation, who the more he attributed to God, the less would he have expected his so humble coming into the world. Neither would the Stoics who held God to be a fire, nor Hipocrates who thought him to be a warmth, ever have looked for him clad in flesh and blood. Wherefore they are here elected witnesses of this strange truth, whose Science was of ability strongly to believe, not wittily to dispute. O what proficients in Faith did these rustical Swains prove in a moment! What a profound secret is imparted to them? Let us examine the verity of this by that infallible Touchstone, the text. And there were in the same Country, Shepherds abiding in the field, & keeping watch by night, because of their flock, and lo the Angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone about them, and they were sore afraid. Then the Angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold I bring you tidings of great joy that shall be to all the people: That is, that unto you is borne this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the Child swaddled and laid in a Cratch. And strait way there was with the Angel a multitude of heavenly Soldiers, praising God, and saying; Glory be to God in the high Heaven, and Peace on Earth, and towards men good will. And it came to pass that when the Angels were gone away from thence into Heaven, that the Shepherds said one to another; Let us go then unto Bethlem, and see this thing that is come to pass, which the Lord hath showed unto us; so they came with haste, and found both Mary and joseph with the Babe laid in the Cratch. And when they had seen it, they published abroad the thing that was told them of that Child.  
Here three things especially are remarkable:  
First, their forwardness in believing:  
Secondly, the speed they made to see what they had believed, and  
Thirdly, to publish what they had seen.  
That they quickly believed, appears by the haste they made to see. They no sooner saw him, but they found him to be the King of Israel indeed, yet withal to be a Shepherd. They instantly discern this to be the Shepherd, who was to lay down his life for his flock. The Prince of all Shepherds whose sheepfold is the world: The Shepherd that was to separate the Goats from the Sheep. They discovered this to be the immaculate Lamb that was to take away the sins of the world. They disclosed this Lamb to be the greatest Lion of the Tribe of judah. Whom now they look on in the Cratch, Saint john shall hereafter behold on his Throne. These men in whom there was no guile as they could not deceive others, so they could not in this be deceived. They needed not suspect any fallacy, and therefore might safely relate this divine wonder to all they met.  
The second witnesses of this Miracle are the Wise men. After God had laid open the Treasure of his divine secrets to Idiots, he shows them also to the wise. It seems the Earth at this time was become the Book of God's greatest Mysteries, and Heaven the Index. In this they find the Star of this King of the jews, which (having been before the declarer of his Nativity) they now make their guide in their journey. The Star performing this duty to its Creator, at length brings them to Bethlem, where they view him in the Crateh, whose Nativity before they had found in the Heavens. To him they do Homage, tender adoration, and pay Tribute, and opening their Treasures, make him an oblation of Gold, Incense, and Myrrh. Whom before they had in vain sought in the Heavens, they now find on the earth, and in the most sordid part of it, a Stable, full of several stinks; where he (to whom none are worthy to be servants) had two dull Beasts for his Companions.  
Return now you Sons of wisdom to your own home, by much more learned, by more than much more happy than when you set out. Heaven is now set open to you, which before your unbelief kept shut against you. If you be Chaldaeans or Persians, or both, spread through those Nations the fame of that which you have seen. Publish in all places this the greatest mystery of Piety, which God is only able to produce, ●●ly faith can apprehend. Of all ●reatures to man only belongs the ●ift of Reason, by the rule whereof he masures all things. But doc not you ●e so, lest you fall not only into an irreparable, but a damnable error. follow you the instruction of Faith, and where ere you come with a holy ●ide, proclaim that God is manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, ●●ene by Angels, revealed to Shepherd's, found out and adored by you ●our selves, and hereafter to be assumed, and to sit in glory fare above those stars you daily read. Go, and give out that there is nothing greater in Heaven, than what you have found in a Stable. Yet ere you depart, convince the stiffnecked jews of their lofty, but gross error, in diligently seeking to know God in that part wherein he will lie hid, a●● in taking no notice of him i●● that part wherein he would be known: in looking for 〈◊〉 Saviour from 
* The jews when ever it lighteneth, set open their windows: for they hold their Saviour shall come in lightning. On this read Buxdorfius.  Heaven, wh●● is already borne on earth Yet now I consider their obstinacy better, I wish you t●● spare your here fruitless advice: for the ears of this wicked generation is stopped, their hearts obdurate, and they are as fully resolved to go on in their wickedness, as you in your journey.  
Having proved his Nativity by these holy Testators, let us now enter ourselves, and view this pretty one in his narrow lodging, lay ourselves prostrate before him, worship him, and re●●ate ourselves with the lovely ●bject. And that our delight may 〈◊〉 the greater, let us first behold 〈◊〉, and his sweetest Mother a ●●art, then both together. But ●et us here shut out the Pharisees, ●nd bar them the sight of this heavenly Infant, who urge the ●aw, and reject him the Author ●●it. Let us exclude the Arrians, ●ho deny his coequality with the ●●●her, and the Sabellians who ●●n found the Trinity, of which ●●●is distinctly one, and hold that ●●ere is in it one Essence, and one ●●●rson: and the Samosatenians, ●ho derogate from his Nature, ●nd avouch the Word (which tru●●● he is) to be no other than a va●●hing sound. Nor let us only ●●epe out these, but the whole swarm also of Atheists, and Heretics. Let the Philosophers too stay without, who not so impious, yet more ignorant, cannot dive to the bottom of this Mystery. But to all those who are honoured in the assumption and profession of his glorious Name a free access is granted. Enter than you little flock, you few whom his Father hath bestowed on him, and see him, who when he gave the Law appeared in Fire, now he offers Grace involved in Hay. Yet in this dejected posture, in this course manner while he lay, he wanted not a whole Army of Angelical spirits that declared his Birth to Men, and they who had before chanted his praises as he sat in Glory, now sing his goodness lying in the Cratch. Though he have a hoomely roof over his head, ●e East observes his approach. Though the poverty of his Humanity obscures his Deity, the Stars in Heaven make it known. behold him who came humble to ●he humble, for the humble, and ●et his humility is above all sublimity. Reverently and intentively ●ook on him who descended from Heaven to Earth, who came to you, into you, who is borne in the ●ight, borne in the midst of Winter, and borne (after the wretched humane condition) naked, and ●one offer him assistance. Swaddling clothes are wanting, some dags are found out, a Cradle is missing, a Manger is at hand.  
Here he cries to you, and holds up ●is pretty hands to Heaven, which he calls to witness that he can humble himself no lower. Can you view this humble, this merciful spectacle, and not weep yourselves into marble? O speedily put on sackcloth! besprinkle yourselves with Ashes, kneel down in the dust and dung under the Manger where your Lord lies, knock yourselves on the bosoms, fetch sighs and groans from the bottom of your hearts, repay him the tears he lent you, and by your sad gesture and deportment demonstrate how much you are bound to him who suffered for you even in his Birth.  
Having seen the Son, now steadfastly place your eyes upon the Mother. Behold the unpolluted Maid (a great part of the wonder) sitting near the Manger, being void of all lust, chaste in Soul and Body, who doth now confess that of which she is not capable without a miracle, to wit, that she is a Mother, and with fixed eyes expressing now joy, now admiration, sees herself wedded to Heaven. She beholds herself a Mother delivered of her Parent, a handmaid of her King, and Master. She to her astonishment finds that she hath brought forth an issue more mighty than David, more ancient than Adam. And now she feels the tender, and ardent affection of a Mother, but the old love she hath borne her virginity gives it an allay. Here the Mother, the Midwife, and the Nurse are one and the same, lest any thing less pure should handle him then her who brought him forth. And now she nurseth this Heavenly infant with her pure milk, which flows from no mortal lust, but from the Celestial Grace. Her breasts white as their own milk pressed by her delicate fingers, as white as either, he softly pats, and plays with. Sometimes he repairs to them for sport, sometimes for necessity, and he who feeds all things else draws thence his nourishment. He casteth up now one eye, now the other, and with a pleasing look gives her a sweet smile, not unlike to that which Zephyrus imprints on the cheek of the Rose. She returns him another, and her infinite, but chaste, affection she divides between her Son, and her virginity. And now her ecstasy being a little over, she calls to mind that she hath often read her own story foretell by the Prophets, That a Virgin should bring forth a Son.  
Fly, O fly fare hence you Monsters of women, who carry leprous souls in polluted bodies, and have not one virtue to rescue you from the Legion of our vices. Depart hence you who are lives to Lust, whose fetters you have ●orne so long, that they have made a ●●pe impression in your minds. You 〈◊〉 have spent your time in the ●●rch after alluring dresses, and in ●●●on dalliance shall have no en●●nce here. You who have received ●●th delight one warm Masculine ●●sse, shall here be excluded. Nay you ●●ho have had only one unchaste ●●ought, shall not here be admitted, without being prepared by a cleansing ●●rty Repentance. This is the lodging 〈◊〉 Purity, into which nothing must come that is unclean. But you whose chaste eyes have never sent out lustful beams, nor received them in, whose Bosoms have been of proof against the fierce assaults and Batteries of Temptation, you are so fare from being forbidden to come here, that you are earnestly invited hither. You who have lived spiritual Amourists, whose spirits have triumphed over the Flesh, on whose Cheeks Solitude, Prayers, Fasts, and Austerity have left an amiable pale: You who ply your sacred Arithmetic, and have thoughts cold, and clear as the Crystal beads you pray by: You who have vowed virginity mental, and corporal, you shall not only have ingress here, but welcome. Approach with Comfort, and kneel down before the Grand white Immaculate Abbess of your snowy Nunneries, and resent the all-saving Babe in her Irmes with due veneration. Never ●hinke more of the fecundity of Vedlocke, since you see here that God himself is the fruit of Virginity. ●ou who have tied yourselves in holy bonds, from which you wish never ●ut by death to be freed, who have ●hose rather lawfully to yield to the rebellious desires of the flesh, than un●●fully to subdue them: you who in sdelity and simplicity of life have ●●ictly imitated Christ and his spouse: you whose Fertility is blessed, ●onely in preserving and propagaing the humane Race, but in augmening also the number of the Saints in heaven, to you a free and open access given. You widowed Turtles, ●ho have lost your Mates, and either ●●ve vowed never to match again, sprayed to God that when you do, it may be to his glory; you also shall have admittance. Virgins, Wives, and Widows, join hands, and encircle this the most perfect pair that ever graced the earth: Behold to your astonishment, and also to your consolation a mild and gentle Maid, in whom neither Childbirth defaceth Virginity, nor Virginity fruitfulness. Feed your eyes with the ●●ght of her whose mind is a Paradise without a Serpent, on whose looks, words, and actions, Modesty is a diligent attender. And now in Feace do you departed too, but take this charitable Admonition along w●th you, that (in emulation of this your dearest Mistress) you lay up all her graces and perfections in your hearts, and withal continually meditate her patience, which contented itself with bad lodging, and worse accommodation, the sad remembrance whereof hath made me ●ser since I read this passage, not to ●●e very solicitous where, or how I ●●e.  
22. And when the days of her Purification, according to the Law of Moses were accomplished they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord:  

Her Purification.  Having waited on her in her Delivery, we will now attend her to her Purification. This day (the celebration whereof is instituted by the Church) is called Candlemas, as much as to say, the Day of Lights, on which (while Mass was singing) very many Tapours were burning in the Church. The Lustration of houses was yearly usual with the Romans in the month of February, from whence this custom in the Church is derived. Innocentius thus propounds and solves the Question. 
In serm. de Purif. B. Mar. Virg.  What is the reason, saith he, that on this Holy day we use so many Lights in the Church? The cause of this institution is twofold. The first is, that a Heathenish custom may be converted into a Christian Right or Ordinance, and that which was performed by superstitious Idolaters in honour of Ceres and Proserpina, may be turned into the praise and glory of the Virgin Mary. The second is, that they who by Grace are purified, by this Ceremony may be admonished to imitate those prudent Virgins, who (as the Evangelicall Parable testifieth) came not without their Tapours lighted to the Nuptials of Christ their Spouse. This day the Church used to pray, that as the visible Lights chased away the darkness of the night: so the hearts of the Faithful might be illuminated by the Invisible flames of the holy Spirit, & (being cured of their blindness brought upon them by vice) might with pure and clear eyes discern those things which are pleasing to God, and necessary to their salvation; and having passed through the sad, dark, and dismal accidents of this world, might at length arrive at Heaven, where they shall behold, and enjoy a Light everlasting. This day is not only made Holy by the Purification of the Mother, but by the oblation also and presentation of the Son, of whom, as of the more worthy, we must first discourse.  
It was truly a great abasing of the Son of God (for which by the Prophets he was styled a Servant) who being not a debtor to the Law, but the Lord of it, and the only Firstborn free from sin, yet endured and underwent with other Children, both the jewish Circumcision and oblation, and at once publicly honoured noured his Father's house, and (to use the Prophet's phrase) filled it with glory. There offered by the Virgin hands of his Mother, he was to his Father a most pleasing oblation, being the end of the Law, and all the ancient Sacrifices. Neither was the longing of Simeon and Anna only satisfied with his aspect, but the ardent wishes also of many others, in whose minds the old spark of Faith now burst out into new and bright flames, which did not only illuminate their own, but other Bosoms also. Not a few, questionless, at Jerusalem, marked this day with a white stone, and did celebrate it with joy and thanksgiving, in that the Light foretold by Esay then arose, and comforted all those to whom the shine and warmth of it extended. Israel had never seen her Messiah, till then when she had free leave to kiss, embrace, and dandle him in her Arms, and therefore her joy must of necessity be more than ordinary. Yet some of her inhabitants were deaf, and could not hear the Prophets proclaim his coming; others were blind, and could not discern him being come, nor were sensible at all of the Honour they received in the venerable presence of him, and his incomparable Mother.  
I now come to our sweetest Lady, the time of whose Lying in being expired, she fets forward to the Temple. I have read some who poetically set down her going thither, and compare her to Aurora, whom the Poets describe sitting in a golden Chariot drawn by a Pegasus, her yellow hair spread over her milky shoulders, with a Torch in her hand enlightening this inferior world. For my own part (though of all humane studies I am most taken with Poesy yet both by Nature and Grace I abhor to write of things divine in the stile of the stage. But this Religion and modesty will licence me to aver, That when she went to be Purified, she was in all things the very figure and resemblance of Sanctity itself. No doubt but she was accompanied with a Beavy of Shee-Saints, of which she was the Chorus. Neither was joseph absent, who as before he had been a guardiant of her, and her Infant in her Delivery when he was not capable of the Miracle; So now he is altogether incapable of his own Felicity in attending his fairest Mate, and dearest Master to the holy Temple. And who doubts but this blessed one joyed more in this journey than joseph or any other. Saint john and Saint Luke testify that it was a religious custom amongst the very Heathen from remote please to come to Jerusalem, 
john 12. Acts 2.8  and in the Temple thereof to perform their devotions. Do you think this pious Maid can be outstripped in the performance of a holy duty by the Gentiles? Can you imagine she could neglect and lose the occasion of time and place offered her, to commend to her Maker in her best words the vows and prayers of her prepared heart? She came to Jerusalem (for certainly she dwelled not there) with fare greater speed and joy, questionless, than to her Counsins' house, this being a business that much more concerned her, in that she was by more and stronger ties bound to serve God than Elizabeth. And here by the way we must not omit her Humility and Charity. 
Her Humility.  Of the first whereof we have a clear demonstration in this, That what other women did out of fear of the Law, she was persuaded by a perfect faith, and an humble obedience to perform. For that her Purification was necessary, I believe no man will affirm, unless in this sense, That the Rites and Ceremonies imposed on the purified by Moses, were with decency to be observed by her who had borne him that came to fulfil, not to destroy the Law. She could not be maculated in conceiving, because she knew no man, nor in bearing, by reason it was without a man. Why should she be solicitous to redeem her Son, who was himself the Redeemer of the world? This was assuredly an act produced by her Humility, as was also her refusing the company of the rich, and her associating the poor and needy, 
Her charity.  though most impure, and abject. And she herself was so penurious, that she had not wherewithal to buy a Lamb, whereof to make oblation. Whereas the Rich hide and hoard up their wealth, she draws forth the 
* This is the observation of Dammianus, Dammascen, & many more.  Treasure brought her by the Wise men, and with alacrity distributes it amongst those whose wants required it: yet was part of the present gold, which upon charitable uses surely was consumed; for her Frugality and Temperancy were such, that in so short a time she could not possibly have spent the value of it. But these perfections are not to be wondered at in her, who being a Doctress, scorned not to be a Disciple, and strongly to endeavour the attaining even to those virtues which by Nature were innate, and by Grace engrafted in her. Ravished in soul with these her Excellencies, me thinks I see her Majestically pacing on to the Temple, and hear her thus speak to those who accompanied and met her on the way.  
My dear friends, Sisters, and fellow servants, I have ever desired and endeavoured (as near as Humane frailty will give me leave) to imitate my sweetest Son, whose profound Humility and perfect obedience can never sufficiently be extolled. Full well he knew Humility to make the first step to eternal life; Obedience the second; the former of which to teach all men he descended from Heaven, the latter to demonstrate, he became obedient to his Father, even to the suffering of the cursed death of the Cross. Would you see me a Proficient in both these supernatural virtues? Behold me who am unpolluted, (as not having conceived by humane means) going like one vicious, and impure to be purified. I who am free from the observation of the Mosaical Laws and Ceremonies, have subjected myself to them. I who am void of all wilful sin, willingly go amongst other sinful and unclean women, that I may be to all an Example of Charity and Humility, to none a precedent of ruin. I thought it not enough that my fruitful Virginity had produced Salvation to the world, unless by Example also I taught how this Grace (applicable to all, applied but to a few) by you also might be obtained. This is my way to the attainment of celestial glory, and let it be yours to purchase yourselves eternal salvation. Do thus, live thus, that you may shine holy Tapers in God's m●lita●● Church, and glorious Stars in his Triumphant.  
She with her devout train being come unto the Temple offered her gift to the Priest, and received a prophetic Benediction from simeon. Whether this old man were a Priest, or a Layman, I will not here dispute; certainly he was a man blessed above all the Patriarches and Prophets, in that he saw God face to face, and may be styled the most profound of all Divines, 
Timoth. presb. ierosol. in orat. de Propheta Simeone.  who (being the last just man of the Law, the first of Grace, a lieu by Religion, in Thanksgiving a Christian) comprehended so many Mysteries in so few words. This holy Man (the Scribes and Pharisees dreaming on ●o such matter) had long since seen his Saviour coming, whom he no sooner saw borne into the Temple by his mother (who then resemble Modesty supporting sanctity) but he snatched this pre●ti● Babe out of her Arms into his own, and not able to contain his joy, in a divine Rapture Swanne-like (his death being then at hand) sung this his sweetest Ditty. Lord now lettest thou thy Servant departed in Peace: for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all Nations, a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and to the glory of thy people Israel. And he blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold this Child is appointed for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against, yea and a sword shall pass through thy Soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be opened. And Anna a Prophetess confessed the same to all those who looked for the Redemption of Israel. 
Luke 2.  If the viewing and embracing of Christ so dilated the spirits of the old man's heart, and made him so sensible of this his great felicity, that he would expect here no greater, but desired rather a dissolution then the fruition of any thing else on earth, What may we judge her content to be, who conceived, bore, brought forth, and brought him up? Whose affectionate looks, kisses, and embraces he had by day, the two later of which the night itself could not bar him of. Her greatest detractors surely cannot imagine her so stupid as not to be apprehensive of the delight, the Comfort, the happiness, the honour his presence did impart, nor so unthankful as not to acknowledge, and to her power express her gratitude. Certainly her soul was in a heavenly Trance when she contemplated the grace and felicity she had in Gods own house, and before an Assembly of his elected people to acknowledge her gratitude for the inestimable benefits he had vouchsafed her, but especially for this, that in his glorious eyes she seemed worthy (though in herself undeserving) in her own name, and that of his chosen to present him with such a sacrifice, such a gift as exceedingly surpassed in excellency, all Hosts, Sacrifices, and Sacraments whatsoever, being indeed, their only scope and end. Anna the Mother of Samuel is praised for her diligence in Prayer, the fruit whereof she reaped in her despaired of Fertility. And of our admired Virgin, we read that she carefully frequented the Temple, of which (being wise) she knew the institution, and (being pious) the custom, which she most religiously observed. Wherefore this day of her Purification, and at all times else, without all peradventure, she much excelled Anna, and her whole sex in the fervency of her Orisons, in the ardency of her love, in purity, and sublimity of mind, in holiness of life, and divine contemplation. We may boldly conclude that she poured out her prayers here in greater abundance than she did in Zacharies house, where she could not suppress the flame of her zeal from breaking out into the praise of God her Saviour, in whom she rejoiced. To this effect, happily, here she prayed.  
O eternal and gracious God I am below other women in merit, but above them all indebted to thy supreme Majesty, for making me the Tabernacle of thy only Son, the Temple of thy Spirit, and for this special honour done me in the Temple of thy Service, the congregation whereof makes me the only point wherein the lines of their affection, and admiration do meet. If women be respected for their fertility, needs must I be in great esteem with all men, who (by thy eternal Predestination, and fatherly providence) have brought forth thy only Son, their Redeemer. With a bowed heart, and bended knees I acknowledge that thou hast faithfully and mercifully fulfilled all those thy favourable promises made me by thy Angel Gabriel, my Cousin Elizabeth, and thy holy Prolets'. Thou who canst neither deceive, nor be deceived, hast made me the virtue of thy Spirit operating) Mother, my virginal integrity still ●eserved. That long longed for Emanuel, (than whom nothing grea●●r, or better could be given by thee, 〈◊〉 taken my me) I have at length produced to save all those that believe in him. This magnificent immense, inexhaustible, unvaluable Treasure, ●his beloved Son of thine in whom thou art well pleased; This Saint of Saints, by whom all things in Heaven and Earth, are re-establisht, this Saviour of the world I here present to thee, as a gift most acceptable in thy sight. He whom all Nations, and the Fathers themselves have so much thirsted to see: The Angel of the new Testament, the seed of Abraham, the son of David, the King of Israel, in whom all generations are blessed, the Lord of the Temple is here come to illustrate his own house. O merciful Father! open the eyes of the dim sighted Israelites, that they may see the glorious Light that now shines on them, and not only acknowledge, but worship their Messiah, and embrace him in their hearts, as I do in mine Arms. Neither let the Rays of this new borne star reflect only on them, but on all those also, who sit in darkness, and the shadow of death, that to them it may restore life and lustre. So shall they acknowledge thee, and him whom thou hast sent, CHRIST JESUS, and be made spiritual dwellings for thee to reside in, there to receive due thanks and praise for ever and ever.  
Between her Purification, and passion of her Son, she is not of●● mentioned in holy Writ, but ●●en she is, it is still to her praise ●●d honour: As when her care for ●e poor made her petition Christ 〈◊〉 Wine to revive, 
Her charity.  and refresh ●●eir drooping, fainting Spirits; ●nd when she said to him, Why ●●ve you used us thus your Father ●●d I have been to seek you. Whence all women may learn humility, motherly care, and con●gall Faith. She who was without ●emish, as being Gods own Mo●her, whose chaste bosom no carnal thought had ever entered, who ●ookt on all men with the same innocency & simplicity with which the beheld Statues, deigned to call apoor rustical labouring man Husband, from whose dear company, no flight, 
Her motherly care, together with her coningal Faith and obedience.  terror, travail, no● pains could separate her. B● what the Scripture omitteth, m●●● be supplied by our charitable imagination, which cannot but conceive all those her Actions burie● in silence, to have been of th● same pure thread with the rest o● her life. The truth of which w●● find confirmed in her perseverance in goodness, even to he● son's end, and her owe ne.  

Her demeanour at her Son's death.  At his death we read she was present, and there stood (saith the Evangelist) by the Cross of Christ his No●ther and her Sister Mary Cleopho●● and Mary Magdalen. When therefore jesus saw his Mother, and his beloved Disciple standing by, he said● his Mother, Woman, behold thy So● and he said to his Disciple, Behold thy Mother, and from that time he took her for his. His pardoning of the Thief is not a greater argument of his Mercy, than his taking care for his Mother was of his Piety. He gives Temperancy the custody of Chastity, and commends these to each other who were resolved to live and die Virgins. Saint Bernard says these words of Christ to his Mother, included much bitterness, for they put her in mind that she was to make a damageable exchange of Christ for john, of the Servant for his Lord, of the Disciple for his Master, of the Son of God, for the son of Zebedaeus. And this was the reason (if we give belief to Mantuan) that he called her Woman, not Mother, lest the very sound of that dear word should make her more sensible of his approaching loss, and force her into an immoderate grief. But sorrow was no Novelty to her for that saying of Christ, In this world, you shall have affliction, was in her verified, whose life contained more miseries than minutes, which she patiently underwent, knowing that the more distressed she was here, the more blessed she should be he reafter. And if we shall add the light of Reason to the Evangelicall Truth, we shall soon perceive that a fatal sadness haunted her from the birth of her only Son to his burial. When she was great with him, and ready to lie down, the inhumanity of the Bethlemites was such, that they confined her, and the Lord of all things to a Stable, and would not supply her with as much as Linen; a Mantle, and other necessaries wherewithal she might defend herself, and her sweet Babe from the moisture of the night, the sharpness of the winter, and other intolerable inconveniences. When her Child was eight days old, she saw him lose blood in his Circumcision, which her divining soul misgave her to be a Type of the dear remainder he was to shed. Then again her mind was infinitely vexed for the butchery of those guiltless Children which were murdered for the sake of her own innocent Infant; of the sorrow and misery of whose Mothers, her tender compassionating heart was a most competent judge. From this bloody Massacre to save her Saviour, she was constrained (without taking leave of her friends, or disposing of what was hers) to take her flight with him, & through danger, 
* Vernulaeus says that those who fly from danger, travail most by night, and therefore it is likely our blessed Lady did so.  darkness, and horror, to make her way into Egypt. When he was twelve years old, she lost him, an Accident more grievous than any of the former; for heretofore her study had been to preserve what she had, now her care was to find what she had not. What an Agony her soul suffered at the lamentable tidings of the beheading of her Son's Forerunner, I leave to the consideration of all thankful souls; for she could not without being stained with ingratitude, but mourn for his absence and violent departure out of the world, who had received so much joy at her presence before he came into it. But above all these, the unequalled Treachery of judas, who delivered this Lamb of God, as a prey to these Wolves; the infidelity of his other Disciples, the malignity of his judges, the crucelty of his Executioners conspired to make her miserable. Nor is it unlikely that she bewailed the ingratitude, the obstinacy and impiety of her Nation, who reviled him that blessed them, and tortured him who came to save them. With what amazement and sadness was her heart surprised think ye, when the news came of her Sons being apprehended? But when she saw him forsaken by his friends, bound by his enemies, accused before the high Priests, derided by Herod, despised by the people; scourged, and tortured by the command of Pilate, his body trembling, torn, and pierced, besmeared with his own blood, and hung between two Thiefs; then, and never till then did the Sword foretold by Simeon, pass through her Soul. Luther says this Prophecy of Simcon was spoken to her, not to joseph, for on her alone the whole weight of sorrow was to be laid. True it is that many differ about the interpretation of this Sword. To clear all doubts, we must take notice that the holy Scriptures mention four sorts of Swords.  
The first is a Corporal, or material sword, and of this Christ speaks to Peter, All that use the Sword, shall perish with the Sword.  
The second is a spiritual Sword, of which Saint Paul makes mention, when he says, Receive the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  
The third is a Sword of Scandal or Ambiguity, with which the Apostles themselves were strucken, when they forsook their Master.  
The fourth is the Sword of Grief or Tribulation. 
Psal. 33. Ps. 105. Gen. 37.  With this the Prophet David avers the Soul of joseph to have been pierced when his death was plotted first by his treacherous Brothers, next by his incontinent Mistress.  
That this Sword whereof Simeon Prophesied, could be no material one, is evident, in that we read not of any violent death she suffered. That it could not be the sword of the Spirit, is manifest; for the word of God was her daily delicious food at the same time when Simeon made this Prophecy. Origen indeed will have it to be the sword of Ambiguity or Infidelity: which erroneous opinion of his, is refuted by many great Fathers of the ancient Church, and by Franciscus Lumbertus, an acute Protestant Doctor of the modern in these words. 
In exposit. Evang. Lucae cap. 2.  Those, saith he, who will have this to be the sword of Infidelity, are not to be harkened to; for (besides that they can produce no proof of this their opinion) it is contradictory to the Text, most rash, and most untrue. How can it be that the sword of Infidelity should penetrate the breast of God's sacred Mother, into which, infidelity never made the least impression? From the leginning, her Faith was most firm and entire. Let therefore those Blasphemies and wicked slanders of canall men be put to silence. I will attribute nothing to the blessed Virgin, but what I read in the holy Writ, where she is pronounced blessed, because she believed. We have many testimonies of her Faith, but of her Infidelity not one word is extant in the sacred Scriptures. Yet this profane assertion is not a whit strange, or to be marvelled at in Origen, who held that Christ died for the Angels, and the Stars, and whose soul was, indeed, no other than a Mint of Heresies. 
Her passive Fortitude, and Patience at the Death of her Son. Melan. in cap. 27. Matth.  Melancton affirms, that her sorrow was much assuaged by her faith, which assured her of his Resurrection. She knew she had borne the Messiah, whose blood was to wash away the sins of the world. Wherefore she might well be amazed, distrustful she could not be at all. The holy Spirit certified her this was not a destroying death, but a triumphing. Her Faith, the oftener it was tried in the furnace of affliction, the brighter still it shown. She stood with the affection of a Mother, the passion of a woman, but with the constancy and fortitude of a man, in beholding her own blood spilt, her own flesh rend, and mangled before her face. With an unshaken confidence, and a true internal valour, she beheld his body naked, and scourged, his hands and feet nailed to the Cross: yet sometimes the strings of her relenting, mournful heart were ready to crack with the very thought of his cruel tortures and afflictions; but as often again they were strengthened and comforted with a full assurance that he should overcome them all, and death itself. She stood here (her Son only excepted) the prime pattern of a solid Faith, and constant Patience to all posterity, in that neither the fear of Tribulation, of persecution, of the wrack, of the scourge, or death itself could divide her from her Christ. She committed not that error most incident to women, many of which gentle sex perish in the midst of their Lamentations, and will neither admit of Counsel, nor Comfort. She did not tear her hair, scratch her face, batter her bosom, seek to stifle herself, or gave any other desperate sign of a rageful sorrow, nor did she curse her enemies, or make imprecations for Vengeance, or so much as murmur against them; but attended the sad event with the same calmness of mind with which this meek Lamb did his end. Her arriage was beyond the Level of Censure, and in all things suitable ●o the modesty and gravity of such a Matron. She feared not at all the fury of the jewish Souldidiers that environed her, but stood lecure, and faced danger. Though she was an eye witness of his passion, and saw his Limbs distended, and wracked, yet did not the evils she saw, wound her so deep as those she heard. The Roman Fencers used to have Wards, or Covers to save their Ears: She had greater need of such to bar the entrance of blasphemies able to provoke God (if his mercies were not above all his works) utterly to deface Nature, and reduce the world to its first Chaos. She heard him called a Drunkard, a Blasphemer, a breaker of the Sabbath, both, a lover of Publicans and Sinners, nay a very Devil; who was her and God's only delight. Yet did not all these kill objects, these impious slanders, drive her into the merciless gripes of despair; for she was confident that the two persons of the Trinity would not forsake the third. 
Melan. in loco praedic.  Melancton commending this dismal story to our sad and serious contemplation, adviseth us, That when Tribulations and Death itself come upon us, we should imitate this holy Virgin, who mixed a heart killing sorrow for his death with a joyful assurance of his Resurrection. Consider, saith he, what a Conflict the Faith of Mary had. There was in her an extreme grief linked with Faith and Hope. Let us in our death thus comfort our ●elves, and harbour the same thought with Mary, still fixing on God the Eyes of our Faith. And verily we must ●eleeve that no small measure of Belief was required to temper and assuage ●o great a 
* Sophronius. ser. de Assump. Beatae Virg. maintains that she suffered more than all the Martyrs, in that the passion of the mind is greater than that of the body, and she in soul felt most, because her love to him was above all others.  sorrow. If we conceive that she was so without bowels, as not to grieve for the death and passion of her dearest, and only Son: we must withal believe with the Manichees, that he had a fantastic body, not made of his Mother's flesh. No doubt, when (after man had left, and betrayed him) she heard him cry out that God himself had forsaken him also, her tears, her sighs, her groans, her countenance, her very posture, her doleful voice, all united their forces to express the greatness of her sorrow. Listen and you shall hear her thus lament.  
O my dearest Son, 
Her Lamentation is also expressed by S. Bernard, Serm. qui incipit, Signum magnum.  that thou who healest others, shouldst thyself be wounded! That thou who freest others, shouldst thyself be bound! That thou who art the Fountain of Life, and Creator of the waters, shouldst thyself be thirsty! That thou who cloathest all things, shouldest thyself stand naked! O my dearest Master, how hast thou trespassed against this obdurate Nation! that it should so thirst after thy precious blood? Thou wouldst have covered them under the wings of thy gracious Providence, as Hen doth her Chickens, but they those rather to perish, than to come thither for shelter. With them the lead are more sensible of thy passion, than the living, and their devouring Sepulchers more merciful than they themselves. O my Son, my Son, that I should see thee suffer, and not be able to secure thee! O that I were an oblation as spotless, and as gracious in thy Father's sight, as thou thyself, that all thy afflictions, all thy torments might be mine. Were my power correspondent to my will, I would rescue thee from Legions of thy enemies. But alas I am a weak woman, and all my strength lies in my tongue, which will only serve me to deplore thy loss, and that I truly do from the very bottom of my heart.  
Thus, or to this purpose, questionless she bewailed him dying; but when she once beheld him dead (Love and Beauty being banished that face) and saw withal their malicious cruelty survive him, when she viewed his very carcase pierced, and water together with blood flowing thence, when she had leisure to embrace his dead body, to number his wounds, to kiss them, and to Essay with the holy water of her eyes to wash away his stripes: she than was so wholly oppressed with anguish of soul, that she ardently at that instant desired her soul, if possibly, might transmigrate out of her living body, into his dead one. True it is that many affirm she felt not those torments which other women endure in Childbirth, who are liable to the malediction laid upon Eve: But if at his coming into the world, she was not sensible of any pain at all, certainly at his going out, the griefs of all women contracted into one, equals nothers alone. And assuredly her sorrow was much increased when she saw Mary Magdalen, and the other women so vehemently to grieve, whom his death not so nearly concerned as it did her, nor were they so able as she to judge of his value. Then questionless in this, or the like phrase she renewed, and redoubled her complaints.  
O my sweetest Son! I bewail mine own, and the wretched condition of all those, whose souls thou hast feasted so many years with thy mellifluous Language. My grief is answer able to my affection. If Samuel lamented the death of a reprobate King, if David wept over wicked Absalon with this exclamation, Absalon my Son, O my Son Absalon; can my tears be too prodigally poured upon thee, who art Son to me, and Righteousness itself? Who shall forbid or hinder me for crying out, jesus my sweet Son, O my sweet Son jesus? If thou didst weep over jerusalem, as lamenting her destruction then at hand, shall I not bewail thy near approaching end? Thou didst then compassionate the future Ruin of those very stones, which now with a silent gratitude seem to condole, and weep for ●hee. When thou cam'st to the Tomb ●f Lazarus, thou wert so fare from ●prehending the tears of others, that ●hou slepst thyself for company. Thy ●●ne example then warrants the just●sse of my grief; for when thou wert ●wing, the small pain thou feltst in 〈◊〉 sleeping of thy foot was, and aught 〈◊〉 be more to me, than the eternal ●epe of Lazarus could be to thee. and as thy tears for him weretokens 〈◊〉 thy humane nature, not signs of by diffidence (in that thou knewest 〈◊〉 would forthwith arise) so are mine 〈◊〉 thee, witnesses of my wretched elate, not of my distrust, who am as●●red of thy speedy resurrection. Nor be I only grieve my own grief for 〈◊〉 for man's sake, I rejoice in thy Father's Grace, who delivers thee to death, and in thy Charity who dost suffer it: So likewise in man's behalf I am grieved that he should be the cursed cause of those thy extreme torments: for as not to joy in the benefits thy death hath brought with it, would argue his ingratitude, so not to condole for the tortures that attend it, would demonstrate his cruelty. And here I faithfully promise thee, that both I, while life, and thy Church, while the world doth last, shall yearly spend this doleful * time of thy Tragical expiration in Prayer, 
S. Bernard calls this Hebdomadam poenosam, the week of penance; and the high Dutch, Die Martyr Wocken, the Martyr's week.  fasting, severity, of discipline, maceration of the flesh, and contrition of the spirit, as becomes thy mournful Mother, and ●●y grateful Spouse to do.  
Thus condoling, thus bemoaning hers, and the general loss, ●e attended his hearse to the Sepulchre provided by joseph, where ●ever man was laid before; for it ●as not fit that Incorruptibility ●●ould succeed corruption in the ●●me lodging. This fragrant ●lower was no sooner set in the ●●ound, but she sent many a dear ●●op after it to fasten it at the ●oot; for she knew within three ●ayes it should spring up again, ●ot to grow in the earth, but to be ●●anslated into Heaven, there for ●ver to flourish, and perfume the celestial habitation. Nor were ●er eyes, saith Damascen, closed with his Monument, but watched themselves almost blind with a greedy expectation to see the temple of his body built up again, which three days since was destroyed. After many a longing look she espied the Tomb to open, and her only joy to issue forth, whom full well she knew by the countenance and figure of his Humanity, but fare better by the clear proofs of his Godhead; for the Graves delivered up their dead, many of which appeared to their friends in the holy City. Some, and those of great authority in the Church affirm; that after his Resurrection, she of all others saw him first, and whereas the Scripture seemeth to infer that Mary Magdalen first beheld him, they thus expound it, That the Evangelists would not make his Mother the first witness of his Resurrection (though indeed she was) knowing that her testimony by the jews would be more suspected than that of Mary Magdalen. I dare not positively conclude any thing herein, but I may safely maintain that this her delight for his Resurrection, counterpoised her grief conceived for his death. In her was now made good that of the Psalmist; According to the multitude of the griefs of my heart thy Comforts have rejoiced my soul, and that of her Son, Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.  
And who makes question but that she who with such unutterable pleasure discovered his Resurrection faithfully, and closely waited on him, till his Ascension▪ She who was as inseparable to him as his shadow, without doubt, was on the Mount 
* Epiphanius contra haeres. & libel. Aetij.  Olivet, with other of the faithful, when in the sight of them all he ascended. She heard, doubtless, his last words, received his last benediction, and her sight waited on him till the clouds embraced him, which it in vain essayed to penetrate. What Soul not itself transported with the view of a heavenly object, can suppose, much less express what her contentment was when she saw her own flesh fly above the reach of Envy, into the Arms of Glory? When she beheld this high Priest, (his Sacrifice ended, and God fully appeased) enter Heaven there to sit on the right hand of his Father, and to be the uncessant and eternal Mediator betwixt him and man? With bended knees, erected hands, and eyes, she worships him ascending, and when her sight fails, her adoration continues. Her zeal passeth all the orbs between him, and her with greater facility, and subtlety than the Lightning shooteth through the Air. Great is the vigour and force of the Spirit, when all things else set apart it is wholly intentive on the Meditation of its Creator. When by contemplation it is separated from the body, it thinks only on him, lives only to him, and is (as it were drowned) in an inundation of his love. When it hath extinguished the scorching lawless desires of the flesh, and kindled the holy ones of the Spirit; the body rebels no longer, but becomes obedient to it in all things. When it hath once fixed its eyes on this beloved object, it never removeth them thence. When it is once illuminated with the beams of the holy Ghost, it is presently turned into all Eye, all Spirit, all Light, no otherwise than those things the fire once lays hold on, are turned into fire itself. Of those who live in Wedlock, it is said that they are two in one flesh; and why may it not be said of Christ and the Soul wedded to him, that they are two in one Spirit? And if ever it might be reported of any, surely of this Holy Virgin, who (though she was divided from her Redeemer in Body) yet in soul she was united to him. When her eyes were grown dim with her so long dwelling on that part of Heaven where they left, and lost him, she cast them down on the earth, the poverty whereof she commiserated in that it was deprived of this one jewel, in value above all it had left. And now She returns into the holy City not disconsolate, and dejected as other women are when they lose their only child; but with a cheerful look for her Son's victory, who had triumphed not only over the jew, but death and hell itself. She made her will lackey Gods, and though she desired to be dissolved, and be with Christ, yet since it was his best pleasure she should continue longer here below, she readily assented, resolving by her example on earth, to furnish heaven with Saints. Dammianus says, that after her Son's decease, she remained ten days in Prayer and Fasting, expecting with a fervent longing, the promised coming of the Spirit. Saint Luke witnesseth that six score men and women were assembled in one room, and joined in hearty prayer, of the which, Marry the Mother of JESUS was one. And as he names her last, so her wont Humility persuades me that she had the last, and 
* S. Bernlard. In serm. de ●erb. Apocalyp. Signum nagnun.  lowest place, and sat beneath the other sinful women of inferior quality, in remembrance of her humble Lord now exalted. And it is more than probable that she was present with the Apostles, when the Holy Ghost came upon them, and that she there received the first fruits of the Spirit. After which time we read no more of her in holy Writ. For where, and with whom, how strictly, and how piously she lived after the Ascension of Christ, 
Serm. 5. de Assump. Virg.  till the hour of her death, saith Idelphonius, is only known to God the searcher of hearts, and to the Angels her diligent Visiters. The reason which many allege why neither the rest of her life, nor death are penned by the holy Evangelists is this, that the Apostles were so busied about the conversion of the jews and the Gentiles, & enlarging of the Christian Church, That they had no time to set down the particular Acts of her life after her Son's Ascension, nor the several Circumstances of her death, as where, when, and how she died. Some Authors peremptorily maintain (upon what ground I know not) that she lived to her seaventieth year, and to her last hour dwelled in jerusalem, near to her Son's Sepulchre. 
Damascen. ser. de dormit. Virg.  Others upon no better warrant aver that she went with john into Asia, and continued with him at Ephesus till her death, and urge the authority of Ignatius, who affirms that she wrote to him in these words, I will come with john to see thee, and thy friends, etc. Concerning her death, Some avouch that the Apostles, and the most eminent of the Primitive Church, were present at it. 
Serm, de dormit. Virg.  Damascen saith that Christ was also there in person, and that he thus spoke to her: Come my blessed Mother into the rest I have prepared for thee, and that she thus in way of answer prayed to him: Into thy hands, O my Son, I commend my Spirit: Receive that dear Soul which thou hast preserved free from all rebuke. As I will not justify all these their Assertions for true, so on the other side I will not condemn them as erroneous, not being able to convince them of untruth, and for aught I know, they may have passed by unwritten Tradition from man to man. I will therefore affirmatively say nothing but this, that most assuredly her death was welcome to her, in that she had so often both meditated and practised it, having many times by austerity, and contemplation, departed this life ere she left it. If that of Seneca be true, that to die well, is to die willingly, then certainly she died the death of the Righteous. She was not ignorant that Death to the just is no other than a delivery from prison, a laying down of a burden, the end of a Pilgrimage, the unmanacling of the Soul, the discharging of a due debt to Nature, the return into our true Country, the door that opens into a never fading life, the entrance into the celestial Kingdom, and the Usher that was to conduct her to her blessed Saviour, with whom she had mentally conversed ever since he left the earth: Since which time there be who avouch that she never willingly saw any man.  
The Assumption.  
What honour could to this great Queen be done,  
More than be taken up, to heaven high  
And, there, have GOD for Father, Spouse, & Son.  
The Angels wait, the World stand wondering by  

Her assumption.  The same modesty I have showed in treating of her death, I shall reserve in discoursing of her Assumption, which by many of the Fathers, all of the Romish Church, and some of the Reformed is held for an undoubted truth, though upon no sounder proofs than the former produce concerning her departure hence. Bullinger directly backs this opinion. 
Lib. de origine erroris, cap. 16.  We do believe, saith he, that the womb of the God-bearing Virgin, and the Temple of the holy Ghost, that is, her sacred body, to have been assumed into heaven. Brentius leaves it indifferent to us to believe whether or no she ascended in Soul, in body, or both. It might well be, saith he, that as Enoch was translated in body into heaven, and as many bodies of the Saints did rise with Christ; 
Homil. 1. in Die Assump. Virgin. See Athanasius on this very point, a Father of great repute, both with the Latins and the Greeks' in his serm. in Evang. de sanctissima Deipara. And johannes Rivius in his Book de abusibus Ecclesiae though he dares not maintain her corporal Assumption, yet he will not deny it, as being a thing probable enough.  So Mary also might in body be assumed into Heaven. But most certain it is that she obtained everlasting Felicity. And some there be who demand why God might not manifest his power by her, privy to so many divine secrets and mysteries, as well as by an Angel, or as by Elias, who after long prayer, was taken up in a Fiery Chariot. Some again, (who hold that the dead who arose with Christ, ascended with him into Glory, and were not again reduced into Ashes) think the Assumption of Mary altogether as likely.  
Damascen saith, the works of the Deity are therefore possible, because omnipotent, and that there are some things, which though they are wholly omitted in holy Scriptures, yet upon evident reasons they are believed, and exemplifies his position in the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Dammianus argues thus, That as conceiving without sin, she brought forth her Son without pain, a curse laid on all other women: so might it well be that she who was without sin, might overcome Death, the reward of it. Some go about to prove it by the Text, 
Ps. 131.  Arise Lord into thy rest, thou, and the Ark of thy Sanctification. Nay, I have read a modern Orator, who thus elegantly describes the manner of it: When, saith he, the Soul of this Sweet one, reactuated her body, she arose in Triumph from her Sepulchre, and was assumed into Heaven. In her passage thither, the orbs bowed and bended themselves to make her a triumphant Arch through which she might pass in greater state. The Sun with his brightest beams embraced her, that it might be said, A woman was clothed with the Sun. The Moon stooped to her, that it might be divulged the Moon was under her feet. The brightest of the Stars intermove themselves to make her a radiant Crown, etc. But this description is no more theological, than the consent of the orbs is Philosophical, and is no way correspodent to the dignity of our Sacred subject, on whose triumphant entry into Heaven, having been a faithful, and reverend Attender, I will now return to vindicate her honour here on Earth, and make an Apology to christian's (with shame and horror I speak it) for Christ's own Mother.  
It may please then the gentle Reader to understand that two questions arise amongst the Modern Divines. The one whether or no she merited to be the Mother of God; the other which way she could deserve that greatest of Glories. For the first, they affirm that never any Creature merited so great a blessing as the incarnation of Gods own Son. For he sent, say they, his Son into the world, not urged thereto by our merits, but out of his own mere Grace and Goodness. It was a work of his Charity, and condescending, not of retribution, or obligation: and therefore that he chose not the Virgin Mary to be the Mother of Christ, as she was a Virgin, humble, obedient, adorned with Faith, Charity, and other divine virtues, but because God had decreed her to bear his only Son, therefore his best pleasure was, she should be Mistress of perfections suitable to so high a Calling. Wherefore Saint Paul says, Because God hath predestinated us, therefore he calls, justifies, and glorifies us, and not because we are just, therefore he electeth us. Again, they argue thus, that all our merits depend on Christ, and are derived from him, and therefore she was without all desert before her Son had imparted it to her. That this was well known to her, is manifestly proved by her divine Hymn, in which she acknowledgeth all good to proceed from him, and therefore to him ascribeth all honour and glory. Others her Champions, who courageously fight, not only for her heavenly, but earthly triumph, confess that she was not preferred to that supreme dignity by desert, but by Congruity, as they call it: that is, not that she was absolutely worthy of so great a grace, but that since God had fixed a decree to send his dear beloved Son amongst us, she of all others was the fittest to conceive and bear him. But here again they differ about the way, in that so many ways they hold her capable of this inestimable Diadem. Some give the preeminency to her Virginity, and say, the love of that drew the Son out of the bosom of his Father, into her hallowed womb; and therefore the Text says not, that a faithful, an obedient, or an humble shall conceive, but a Virgin. Others attribute this supreme favour to her Faith, by which (as Saint Paul demonstrates all the miraculous works of the old Testament have been begun and perfected: Wherefore her Cousin Elizabeth said to her, Blessed art thou, because thou hast believed. Some ascribe this infinite honour done her, to her Humility, to which all other virtues flow, no otherwise than the waters naturally run to the lowest places. This caused her to say in her grateful Hymn, Thou hast regarded the lowliness of thy Handmaid. Others impute the conferring of this greatest blessing on her, to her obedience, in that she committed all to the will of the highest, with this protestation, Behold the Handmaid of the Lord, be it to me according to thy Word. Others give her Charity the uper hand, which as Saint Paul testifies, gives life and spirit to all other virtues, they being without it no other than dead Images. Lastly, some there are who will not award the Crown to this or that peculiar virtue residing in her, but to the united Harmony of them altogether; for they say, it is not this string, or that, makes the Music, but the accord, and consent of all. For my own part, (Divinity not being the sphere wherein my studies move) a modest inquisition will better become me, than a bold and peremptory Conclusion in any point of Controversy. Wherefore I most humbly submit this, and all things else divine, by me handled, to the Censure and determination of the Church of England, whose not Connivance alone, but approbation I know I shall have in boldly affirming that she was a transcendent Creature, not to be ranked in respect of her worth, with any of her sex, but to have a place assigned her apart, and above them all; being not to be considered as a mere woman, but as a Type, or an Idea of an Accomplished piety. They who uphold the latter of the aforesaid opinions, err not so much in my judgement, in the adoring extreme, as some too severe maintainers of the former, do in the neglecting. They are so fare from praising her themselves, that they most unjustly deprive her of the praise given her by others. The Puritans in general, but especially the obstinate non-Conformists of this Land, are those I mean, who as in their Course oratory they called Queen ELIZABETH, Queen Bess, So they give this Holy Virgin no higher a stile, than of 
* I have both heard these irreverent speeches, and read them censured in a Manuscript of a most learned Doctor of the English Church. And this is very credible to all such as hear and peruse their illiterate Sermons, full of invectives against the ancient Saints, and Fathers of the Church, and abounding with predications of their own ignorant Brethren.  Malipiero, God's Maid. They reject all Testimonies of her worth, as Hail Marry full of Grace, The Lord is with thee, and, thou hast found grace with God, and, He that is mighty, hath magnified me, and All generations shall call me Blessed, and, Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and Blessed are the paps that gave thee suck, and whence comes this that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? and, Blessed art thou amongst women, and, Blessed is the fruit of thy womb. They abhor to hear her called Domina, Lady, or Deipara, God-bearing, few of them being so learned, even in their own Faculty, as to know that they who so style her, think not that the Godhead proceeds from her, but that she brought forth Christ, in whom was the union of both Natures, and therefore they being inseparable, she must by strong consequence be delivered of both God and Man. And why are they deterred from giving her these honourable Epithets? Because forsooth they challenge to themselves a greater measure of knowledge, but a lesser of Piety than did their Ancestors. By disclaiming words, and phrases familiar to Antiquity, and by inventing new less reverend, and significant; they give all men to understand that they had rather be reputed good Grammarians, than Christians, and had rather give names to the Church, than accept them from her, and cherish profane Novelties, rather than allow of Reverend Antiquities. They wrist many places of Scripture to prove that Christ himself slighted and rebuked her, which depravations of theirs (were my Readers Turks) I would draw into the Light and lay their deformity open to all; but it is needless (I trust) to inform a Christian, that he who hath said, Honour thy Father and thy Mother, would surely never break his own Commandment, and by slighting his Mother, trench upon a sin of all others most detestable in his sight, Ingratitude. Of one thing I will assure them, till they are good Marian's, they shall never be good Christians; while they derogate from the dignity of the Mother, they cannot truly honour the Son. They are I confess, much more favourable to her, than the jews, but by fare more detracting from her than the Turks, which Assertion of mine is strengthened with evident proofs both out of the jewish Thalmud, and Turkish Koran. The jews call her Thlua, as much as to say, Butcheresse, or the wife of a Butcher, and Sono, a public sinner, and Thmea, one polluted with all manner of unclean and filthy lust. And all of their Religion are enjoined in solemn Prayer made in their Synagogues thrice every day to curse Christ, his Mother, and all the Christian Sect, as is to be found at large in the third Book of the Thalmud, wholly composed of ridiculous Fables, gross Errors, and horrid Blasphemies. True it is That the Turkish Koran now acknowledgeth Christ to be God, and now again denies him, taking him in at the foredoor, and shutting him out at the back, yet do they hold him the greatest of Prophets next their Mahomet. But his Mother they magnify above all women that ever breathed this Air. Let us hear this Oracle speak, in all things else false, but in this most true. These ensuing are the very formal words of the Koran. O Mary, excellent above all men and women, who perseverest in the study of God only. And in another place, O Marry, God hath chosen thee, and purified thee, he hath elected thee to make thee famous above the women of all Ages: and again, Marry by behaving herself wisely, is guilty neither of Malice, nor any wickedness, which caused us to breathe our soul into her. Lastly, that Many men have been perfect, but no woman was ever found perfect, but Marry the Mother of jesus. But though truth is to be embraced where ever we find it, yet it will appear more graceful in the mouths of Christians, whose most learned, most eloquent, and most judicious. Doctor, we will produce, giving this Testimony of this our dearest Lady. 
S. Austin lib. de nat. & great. cap. 36.  Except (saith he) the holy Virgin Mary, (whom for the honour I own my Lord and Master, I will not name when sin is my subject) whom to have had grace infused into her, wholly to subdue sin, we know by this, that she was thought worthy to conceive and bring forth him, who assuredly was without sin: This Virgin, I say, excepted, if we could Recall, and Assemble together all the Saints departed, and should ask them, if they were without sin, they would unanimously thus answer: If we should say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there is no truth in us. But because the Fathers are no way suspected of neglect towards her, we will spare their verdicts, and chief insert their Commendations of her, who were the first Reformers of our Church. Luther shall be their Leader, who faith, That none but the Virgin Mary either was, or ever shall be so holy: That the fruit of her womb shall be blessed, since no other conceives without pleasure and sin: and again, In this is Mary blessed, That so great gifts are given to her, as surpass humane understanding. For hence all honour and beatitude proceeds, that in the Universal humane race one person should be superior to the rest to whom none should be equal, because one and the same Son is common to her with the heavenly Father. This he applies to that saying of Mary. He that is mighty hath magnified me, etc. The same Author in another place says, Mary is our Mother, Christ our Brother, and God our Father, and that all this is true, the Faithful by effect do find. Calvin calls her his Mistress. We willingly, saith he, take Mary for our Mistress, to whose doctrine and precepts we are obedient. 
* Though Erasmus was not a Reformer of our Church, yet he is much suspected by the Romish Church, and most serviceable to the Protestant in the setting out of the Fathers.  Erasmus styles her his Savioresse. Oecolampadius thus delivers his approbation of her. I trust in God it shall never be said of me, that I did oppose the dignity of Mary, towards whom to be never so little ill affected, I hold to be a most certain sign of a Reprobate mind. She who is above all, Queen of all, whom God above all hath honoured, should not she be esteemed amongst all the most eminent? Bucerus protesteth, That a godly mind will not judge but charitably and piously of her, who brought forth Christ our Lord: Bullingerus concludes; If Mary be blessed amongst all women, and to be pronounced blessed by all Nations, most cursed are the jews, who never cease to revile and slander her; and most unhappy are those Counterfeit Christians, who (being little better than jews) rob her of the praise due to her. Needs must she be endued with a singular most select, and perpetual Virginity and purity, who is especially chosen by God to be the Temple of his Son, and the Mother of the most holy. Now if any of these contradict themselves by pulling down in other places those Trophies of her praise which here they have erected, they are to be answered as the Satire did the Man with whom he said he would no longer converse, because he saw hot and cold breath to issue from the same Mouth. But to leave them; All parts of the world have produced Admirers of her worth.  

Syria hath brought forth Ephraim.  
Antiochia Saint chrysostom.  
Capadocia Saint Basill, and Saint Nazianzen.  
Constantinople, Germanus and Proclus.  
Dalmatia, Saint Hierome.  
Germany, Rupertus, Albertus, and Agrippa.  
England, Baeda.  
France, Bernhard.  
Spain, Alphonsus.  
Italy, Aquinas and Bonaventure.  
Africa, Saint Cyprian, and Saint Austin.  
Greece, Dionysius Areopagita, etc.   
To these succeed famous Christian Poets, ancient and Modern, who have written Pannegyricks upon her, as 

Baeda.  
Gregorius Nazianzenus.  
Innocentius Pontifex.  
Actius Sanazarius.  
Adam de Sancto victore.  
Alcimus Avitus.  
Antonius Muretus.  
Aurelius Prudentius.  
Baptista Mantuanus.  
Claudianus.  
Franciscus Petrarcha.  
Godfridus Viterbiensis.  
Hieronymus Vida.  
Paulinus.  
D. Philippus Menzelius.  
Rudolphus Agricola.  
Sedulius.  
Venantius Fortunatus.    
To these I add many Emperors, Princes, and Princesses, and a world of devout great ones, who have been her professed admirers, as 

Constantine the great.  
Charles the great.  
Pulcheria Augusta.  
Henry the second, Emperor.  
Alphonsus the chaste in Spain.  
Edovardus in Hungary.  
Bolislaus in Polonia.  
Venceslaus in Bohemia.    
All which are Canonised for Saints, and have erected and dedicated Temples to her Memory. Neither have the Princes of this our Isle been defective in doing her all possible honour, and in Consecrating Chapels and Temples to her Memory. Frederick the third Emperor, made the Contemplation of her, almost his only food. Stephanus, King of Hungary, called his kingdom the Marian Family. In this glorious Family, whole kingdoms and Commonwealths have enroled themselves. My Arithmetic will not serve me to number all those who have Registered their names in the sodality of the Rosary of this our blessed Lady, the original of which is derived from the battle of Naupactun, gained by john of Austria, and the Christians, which victory was attributed to her intercession with her Son. The Colonian Sodallity first instituted, had out of Louvain, 4000 out of Brabant, 30000. out of Gueldria, 4000 out of Holland and Zealand, 7000. etc. Many holy Orders also are of this Sodality, as the Benedictines, the Cistertians, the Franciscans, the Carthusians, and many others. If all these Testimonies and Examples of great worthy and pious people will not move us to honour her, we shall be judged both unworthy of this life, and ignorant of that better to come. For shame let not us alone deny her that honour and praise which all the world allows her.  
After these impartial witnesses ●f her worth, we will place those divine privileges imparted to her ●y the Almighty, for which we ●ave (if that alone were sufficient) ●he Authority of many pious, ●●arned men.  

1 Privilege.  First, they affirm, That her Chaste eyes sent forth such divine ●eames that (though her Loveliness moved not only all minds ●o honour her, and all Eyes to gaze ●n hers) yet they never kindled an ●nholy fire in the most Adulterate ●o some. A sacred privilege peculiar to this Saint alone; for it was the will of her omnipotent Son, that neither Saith in nor his Ministers should conspire the overthrow of that chief Temple of his Spirit, which his flesh had inhabited so long, nor any impure thought aim at the mudding of this purest Fountain. Whether her prophetic Soul foresaw the snares of the ungodly, and so shunned them, they say not, once for certain they aver, that Temptations aimed at her, broke like Hail against a Rock, nor could all the Engines of the world, the flesh, and the Devil hurt her more, then can the vapours arising from the earth, reach the holy inhabitants of Heaven. And this opinion (for aught I know, I submit it to better judgements) may without, or profanation, or blasphemy, be admitted into all honest bosoms: for if beyond the power of nature he preserved jonas entire in the Whale's Belly, if he protected Daniel from the ravenous Lions, should not he secure her from Corruption whom he had adorned with so many virtues and dignities?  

2 Privilege.  Next, they hold that she was not only without blemish, but her very looks sent forth such heavenly rays, that whosoever beheld them, drew thence a vestal fire that never went out, and vowed an everlasting Virginity. If this be a truth, it is a curious one, and it is not material at all whether or no it be believed, or rejected.  

3 Privilege.  Thirdly, that she conceived and bore her Son, not only without pain (the common Curse annexed to Child-bearing) but with infinite delight. This also is a Curiosity, and of no importance whether it be swallowed or no.  
Fourthly and lastly, that she had a Frigidity of Soul, which quenched in her all heat of carnal concupiscence. This last privilege is employed in the first, and may perchance safely be received. The truth is, we may securely give her all humane attributes (not encroaching▪ on the divine) for she was in dignity above all, but God himself. Faith and Charity, the fullness of the Law were in her at full. She was in an active and contemplative life, admirable. The Tongue esteemed the worst part in a woman, was in her the best, which well might charm Ears, offend them it could not. Her Soul weighed her Conceptions, and gave them a raiment of virtues own hue; for certainly so clear thoughts were apparelled in as fair words. She who both after her conception, and at other times is commended to us by the sacred Scriptures, for laying up all holy Say in her heart, can we imagine that she could speak amiss? Neither could she commit any undecent Act, who lived in a Light to others inaccessible. They who maintain that for a time the whole Militant Church was in her alone, have probability to backe them; for I know not in whom else it could remain, when his Apostles, Disciples, Friends, Kindred, and all others forsook Christ, she only excepted, who would not leave him, who from before his birth, had stuck to her. I will conclude with this Assertion, That if ever the Soul of any mortal enjoyed here on earth the embraces of her heavenly Spouse, and took from him a kiss sweeter than all the Eastern Odours, this was she.  

Apostrophe Authoris.  
And here, O blessed Virgin! I leave to discourse further of thee, and direct my speech to thee. O thou eternal glory of thy sex! had the Queen of Sheba seen thee, as she did Solomon, she had not so soon been delivered out of the Trance into which her Admiration cast her. In thee she might have discovered all the perfections of which woman kind is capable, who were't indeed virtually thy sex In thee Aspasia might have found her Modesty, Livia her Prudency, Sul●●i●a her Majesty and Gravity, Cornelia her Patience, Lucretia her Chastity, Porcia her Fortitude, Tanaquill her Industry, Plautina her frugality, and all these in eminency. But why talk I of the Heathen to thee, who didst not only outstrip in manifold virtues all the Female, but the Masculine Saints themselves? Thou didst excel Abel in Jnnocency, Abraham in Faith, Isaac in Obedience, David in Gentleness, the Prophets and Apostles in Piety, and the Martyrs in Patience. O thou whom Heaven would have of the same constancy, purity, and sublimity with itself, thou art so fare from having an equal, that all thy sex cannot afford a worthy witness of thy Excellenties! O thou Mother of the true Moses, who never put on the yoke of Pharaoh, but stood free in the midst of E●ypt! Thou rod of jesse, always strait, who brought'st forth the fruit of life! thou wert here a terrestrial Paradise, whereinto Serpent never entered, on which Gods malediction was never imposed, and hast no doubt, now in the celestial Paradise a conspiovous seat above all the Angelical orders, and next thy glorified Son himself. For if Christ's promise to all his fellow feeling members, that if they suffer with him, they shall reign with him, if they die with him, they shall live with him; what eminent place in Heaven sh●lt thou have assigned thee, who i● soul didst suffer for him more, than all his Martyrs? O thou bashful Morn that didst pr●cede and produce our Sun! Thou Circumscription (if I may so say) of the uncircumscribed! Thou root to this Herb of Grace! Thou Mother of our Creator! Thou Nurse to him by whom all things are fed! Thou Comprehender of the incomprehensible! Thou bearer of him whose word sustains the Globes! Thou who didst impart flesh to him, who wanted nothing else! Thou Sarah, thou Mother of many Nations, who brought forth our Isaac, our Laughter, when a just sorrow conceived for a loss esteemed irreparable had clouded this inferior world! O pardon, gracious Princess, my weak endeavours to sum up thy value, which come as short of thee, as my head does of Heaven. Nothing that is not itself glorified, can express thy glory to the height. Thou deserv'st a Choir of Queens here, and another of Angels in Heaven to sing thy praises. Were all the Earth's brood, the drops, the sands of the sea, and the stars of heaven tongued, they could not all express thee so well, as silent ecstasy. I confess, O my sweetest Lady! that now I have said all I can of thee, I have but but done like Timanthes, a great Master in his Art, who being to express the vastness of a Cyclops in a small table, drew only his Thumb, by which the spectators might judge of his large proportion. To give thee an estimation answer able to thy merit, is a thing impossible: I must therefore be content to do by thee, as the ancient Heathen did by the Images of their Gods, on whose heads, when by reason of their height, they could not place the Crowns, offered to their Deities, they humbly laid them at their feet.   
FINIS.