Part 26 (1/2)
The Te Deum is thus lamentably perverted:
”We praise thee, Mother of G.o.d; we acknowledge thee, Mary the Virgin.
[Te Matrem Dei laudamus; Te Mariam Virginem profitemur.]
”All the earth doth wors.h.i.+p thee, spouse of the eternal Father.
”To thee all Angels and Archangels, Thrones and Princ.i.p.alities, faithfully do service....
”To thee the whole angelic creation with incessant voice proclaim,
”Holy! Holy! Holy! Mary, parent, mother of G.o.d, and virgin!...
”... Thou with thy Son sittest at the right hand of the Father....
”O Lady, SAVE THY PEOPLE, that we may partake of the inheritance of thy Son.
”And rule us and guard us for ever....
”Day by day we salute thee, O pious One; and we desire to praise thee in mind and voice even for ever.
”Vouchsafe, O sweet Mary, now and for ever, to keep us without sin.
”Have mercy upon us, O pious One; have mercy upon us.
”Let thy great mercy be with us, because we put our trust in thee, O Virgin Mary.
”In thee, sweet Mary, do we hope, defend thou us eternally. {363}
”Praise becomes thee, empire becomes thee; to thee be virtue and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
[SALVUM FAC POPULUM tuum, Domina, ut simus participes haereditatis Filii tui,
Et rege nos et custodi nos in aeternum.
Dignare, Dulcis Maria, mine et semper nos sine delicto conservare.
Miserere, Pia, n.o.bis! miserere n.o.bis! Fiat misericordia tua magna n.o.bisc.u.m, quia in te, Virgo Maria, confidimus. In te, Dulcis Maria, speramus, nos defendas in aeternum. Te decet laus, te decet imperium, tibi virtus et gloria in saecula saeculorum, Amen.]
Can this by any the most subtle refinement be understood to be a mere request to her to pray for us?
The Athanasian Creed is employed in the same manner; and it is very remarkable that the a.s.sumption itself of the Virgin into heaven is there specified as one of the points to be believed on pain of losing all hopes of salvation.
”Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold firm the faith concerning the Virgin Mary: which except a man keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly....
[Quicunque vult salvus esse, ante omnia opus est ut teneat de Maria firmam fidem.]
”Whom at length He took up (a.s.sumpsit) unto heaven, and she sitteth at the right hand of her Son, not ceasing to pray to her Son for us. [Quam demum ipse in coelum a.s.sumpsit, et sedit ad dexteram Filii, non cessans pro n.o.bis Filium exorare.]
”This is the faith concerning Mary the Virgin, which except every one believe faithfully and firmly he cannot be saved.” [Haec est fides de Maria Virgine: quam nisi quisque fideliter firmiterque crediderit, salvus esse non poterit.]
In the Litany addressed to her, these sentences are found.