« Calmet) who would not engage to prove "by irresistible Arguments the Beauty of "their Saviour, who would not feel fome "fort of Indignation to hear it doubted or

difputed. The Pulpits refound the Prai" fes of this God incarnate, the most beau"tiful of the Children of Men; Books of "Piety and Devotion are full of them."* It feems it is the highest Blafphemy to call it in queftion, to suspect that The Queen of Angels (as they call her) should bring forth a Son with no Distinction of Beauty upon his Perfon, but upon a level with the meanest of his Subjects. Were this Doctrine received, what would become of those fine Statues and Paintings of the Virgin Mary and her Son, which are fo beautifully drawn and carved on purpose to inspire a False and Enthusiastick Piety, and to promote Image-Worship and Idolatry The Mother reprefented like the Cyprian Goddess, the Son like Cupid, with Features and Postures most unmanly and effeminate? Thus they exprefs the Infancy of Chrift: The Virgin in the most beauti

ful

*Yet (the fame Father goes on) I cannot help confeffing, that the Reafons and Arguments that are urged against the Beauty of Chrift's Body, are at least as strong as those generally brought to affert it.

ful Figure, dreffed in an embroider'd Robe (after the Custom of the Eaft) fits upon a Chair of State gilt with Gold attended by an Ethiopian; the * Infant with golden Rays of Glory about his Head, upon a rich

Mantle lies in her

Gown of Purple is

Lap; and Joseph in a

feen upon his Knees, looking as if he was transported with the Charms and Loveliness of the Child's Body. Whereas (fays Chryfoftom +) they fhould rather have represented a poor narrow Cottage, a vile filthy Manger, with an Ox and an Afs tied to it, much fitter for Beafts than Men; a Child cover'd with the worst of Rags, the Mother scarce having one Gown not worn for the Ornament of

her

*This Reprefentation, one would think, was in fome measure copied from what is faid to have paffed between Auguftus Cæfar and the Sibylla Tiburtina. Circumfertur de Tiburtina Sibylla quæ, dubitante de Imperio Imperatore Augufto, evocata in Adyta Templi Palatini, quod nunc ARA COELI Vocatur, Imperatorem oculos juffit in Coelum attollere, ubi oftendit Virginem in formâ fingulari divinâ facie micantem, quæ ulnis continebat filium radiis Lucis corufcantem, qui in Globo Luna cum Matre fuâ fedebat. Hunc, inquit iftac contuens Sibylla, verum Deum verumque Hominem brevi fuftinebit tellus, qui Mundi futurus Rex & Dominus, & hic folus inter homines colendus eft & adorandus; Hic Puer major te eft, hunc adora; Quibus commotus Cafar in pofterum non expetivit Titulum humani. Dominii. Notæ in Librum cui Titulus Inaudita Curiofitates, p. 353.

+ Chryfoft. in Matth. ii.

Athanaf. de Nativ. Chrifti. This Father upon thefame Place obferves, that by this means the Ox knew his Owner, and the Afs his Mafter's Crib.

her Body, but out of meer Neceffity ta cover her. "Hadft thou (fays the pi

ous St. Anfelmy made thy Entrance into thy own World with all the Pomp and "State of Earthly Princes, yet even thus "the Condefcenfion had been amazing : " but when thou wert born, there was no room for thee in the Inn, no Bed or "Cradle of State, but a Manger and a Stable « only. Learn what an Estimate you "ought to make of painted Roofs and "curious Hangings, when the King of "Kings defpifed thofe Vanities, and rather "chofe to grace the Mattrices of the Poor, "preferred a Trufs of Straw and a Cratch "in common with Beafts, before your Down and all your Silks and Velvets.”

THE Nativity of Chrift under these mean Circumftances is no way agreeable to the Pomp and Magnificence affumed by the Romish Church; who, the more effectually to promote the Interest of Idolatry, reprefents the Birth of the Meffiah as of the Son of the greateft Monarch, and gives a Character of his Mother, as if the were more than Mortal, as if all the Elements

and

+ Anfelm's Meditations, chap, 4. published by Stanhope.

1

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and the whole Creation paid Homage to her, and attended upon her at the time of her Delivery. "Upon the Day of the "Nativity, (fays a good * Catholick) the "Sun burnifht his Face, the better to illuf

trate the World, and to appear gracious " in her fight, who carried in her Breast a "Fire purer and clearer than his own "Rays. The Earth put on her freshest "Green, and the Flowers fpread their

dainty Leaves, and made a fweet Ex"change of Odours with her, yet hung "their Heads to fee themselves both in "Colour and Scent fo far fuprpaffed. The "Trees advanc'd their curled Heads, " and compos'd their Looks within the "Crystal Streams who seemed to dance "after their own Murmur. Amongst the "Beafts, their King laid by his Fierceness, " and not one of his Subjects was found favage or polluted that Day. Then was "the Proverb croffed, for the Worm be

ing trod on would not turn again, left "she should prove unlike her meekeft Mif"trefs. In the very Bowels of the Earth,

See the Life of the Virgin Mary, written by Anthony Staf ford, p. 14.

"the Minerals and the Stones more pre"cious, affumed their quicker Sparks, as "Emblems of her Splendor. The Ocean "had not a Wrinkle in his Face, thou"fands of Halcyons hover'd o'er his Head, " and his Tritons blew fo loud, that their "Notes founded the very bottom of the "Deep. Within his vaft Dominion was “ no Discord that day; for the greater "of the Fish forfook their Prey, and the "fmaller fwam in that Security, that the

Sprat bearded the Dolphin, and play'd "with the Nofe of the over-grown Whale. "The Birds fung their choicest Aires, the "Fowls flew nearer the Earth to falute her, "and their tow'ring Lord the Eagle "brought his young ones to try their Eyes (( at this new-born Light. The Air it self "was like her, gentle, and being invifible, "came to steal a Kiss from her Cherry

Lips, foft and smooth as were his own.

"The Winds (conceiving their Silence "would best please) kept themselves with" in their Dens, only Zephyrus was let "loofe to fan the Pink and Violet, and play the wanton with the Rose." It would be endless to collect from these fort

of