Theological Theses · §1613 · Louis Le Blanc de Beaulieu

Further scandalous titles: goddess, tutelary deities, Mary's dominion over her Son

The Protestants are also offended by many other tributes heaped on the Blessed Virgin and the saints. These come from private teachers, it is true, but the Roman Church neither disapproves nor forbids them.

So the Virgin Mary is given the title of goddess, and the saints are called tutelary deities, as in an inscription I remember reading a few years ago in the church at Troyes dedicated to Saint Peter: "Peter, Helen, Mastidia, tutelary deities of Troyes."

The Virgin Mary is credited with command and dominion over her own Son and with power to dispense under God all the gifts of grace and nature and to share them with whomever she wills. She is called the enlightener of hearts and the cause of things; she is even said to have founded and made the world and to preserve and govern all that is in it. There is more of this kind, which we pass over for now for brevity's sake.

Latin

LVI. Quibus quoque scandalum movent Elogia alia plurima, quae in Beatam Virginem & Sanctos coacervantur, a privatis quidem Doctoribus; sed Ecclesia Romana non improbante, neque prohibente: Ut quod Mariae Virgini titulus Deae tribuitur, quod Sancti Tutelaria Numina nuncupantur: ut in inscriptione illa quam ante paucos annos memini me legere, in Ecclesia apud Trecenses Beato Petro dicata, Petrus, Helena, Mastidia Tutelaria Trecensium numina. Et quod Virgini Mariae tribuitur imperium & Dominium in filium ipsum, & potestas omnia Gratiae & naturae dona sub Deo dispensandi, & quibus vult communicandi. Quod illuminatrix cordium, & rerum causa appellatur: imo dicitur mundum fundasse & fecisse, & quae in eo sunt omnia conservare & gubernare: & plura ejusmodi, quae brevitatis causa in praesens omittimus.

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