5. There is, therefore, no reason why the virgins of God be sad, because themselves also cannot, keeping their virginity, be mothers of the flesh. For Him alone could virginity give birth to with fitting propriety, Who in His Birth could have no peer. However, That Birth of the Holy Virgin is the ornament of all holy virgins; and themselves together with Mary are mothers of Christ, if they do the will of His Father. For Mary also is on this account the Mother of Christ in a way more full of praise and blessing, according to His sentence mentioned above. “Whosoever doeth the will of my Father Who is in heaven, that one is to Me brother, and sister, and mother.” All these degrees of nearness of kin to Himself, He shows forth in a spiritual manner, in the People whom He hath redeemed: as brothers and sisters He hath holy men and holy women, forasmuch as they all are co-heirs in the heavenly inheritance. His mother is the whole Church, because she herself assuredly gives birth to His members, that is, His faithful ones. Also His mother is every pious soul, doing the will of His Father with most fruitful charity, in them of whom it travaileth, until Himself8    Gal. iv. 19 be formed in them. Mary, therefore, doing the will of God, after the flesh, is only the mother of Christ, but after the Spirit she is both His sister and mother.

CAPUT V.

5. Virginum omnium decus est unius Virginis partus. Virgines et ipsae spiritu matres Christi. Non est ergo cur Dei virgines contristentur, quod etiam ipsae virginitate servata matres carnis esse non 0399 possunt. Illum enim solum virginitas decenter parere posset, qui in sua nativitate parem habere non posset. Verumtamen ille unius sanctae Virginis partus omnium sanctarum virginum est decus. Et ipsae cum Maria matres Christi sunt, si Patris ejus faciunt voluntatem. Hinc enim et Maria laudabilius atque beatius Christi mater est, secundum supra memoratam ejus sententiam: Quicumque facit voluntatem Patris mei qui in coelis est, ipse mihi frater, et soror, et mater est. Has sibi omnes propinquitates, in populo quem redemit, spiritualiter exhibet: fratres et sorores habet sanctos viros et sanctas feminas, quoniam sunt illi in coelesti haereditate cohaeredes. Mater ejus est tota Ecclesia, quia membra ejus, id est, fideles ejus per Dei gratiam ipsa utique parit. Item mater ejus est omnis anima pia, faciens voluntatem Patris ejus fecundissima charitate, in iis quos parturit, donec in eis ipse formetur (Galat. IV, 19). Maria ergo faciens voluntatem Dei, corporaliter Christi tantummodo mater est, spiritualiter autem et soror et mater.