c  c  2


292  ROMISH    IDOLATRY.
Nicomedia,  goes  still  farther;  he  says,  'that
Jesus  Christ  has  imposed  a  law  upon  himself,  to
grant  the  requests  of  his  Mother,  to  satisfy  his
obligations  to  her  for  giving  him  existence  as  a
man.'  Rejoice  then,  O  Mary,  since  he  who  is
liberal  beyond  measure  towards  us,  to  whom  he
owes  nothing,  considers  himself  indebted  to  you."

How  can  the  Creator  be  indebted  to  the
creature  ?

"  It  is  a  reflection  of  St.  Augustin,  that  as
Mary  merited  to  give  human  flesh  to  the  Son  of
God,  and  thereby  prepare  the  price  of  our  redemp-
tion, she  is  consequently  more  enabled  to  obtain
our  salvation,  than  all  the  redeemed  together.
*  You  then  can  entirely  save  us,  O  Mary,'  says
St.  John  Damascene  to  her,  '  for  your  authority
of  Mother  gives  an  irresistible  force  to  your
prayers'  Oh  !  admirable  goodness  of  our  God,
who,  to  effect  our  future  happiness,  has  given  us
an  advocate  that  gains  every  cause  in  which  she
pleads.  Oh  I  ineffable  mercy,  who,  lest  we
might  be  deterred  from  approaching,  by  reason
of  the  formidable  sentence  he  is  to  pronounce,
has  ordained  that  his  Mother  the  Mistress  of
grace  should  intercede  for  us."  (pp.  14-0, 141.)

"  PRAYER.
"  O  Mother  of  God  !  permit  me  to  say  to  you
with  St.  Bernard,  'Speak,  O  my  Mistress,  for
your  Son  hears  you/  In  taking  flesh  in  your
chaste  womb,  a  God  has  been  pleased  to  become
your  debtor,  in  order  to  place  afterwards  at  your
disposal  all  the  treasures  of  his  unbounded  mercy.
