1. There be four principal colours, by which, according to the diversity of days, the Church distinguisheth her vestments: to wit, white, red, black, and green. For we read that in the garments of the law there were four colours, fine linen, purple, jacinth, scarlet. The Roman Church also useth violet and saffron, as shall be said below. 2. White vestments be used in the festivals of holy confessors, and virgins which be not martyrs, on account of their integrity and innocence. For it is written, 'Her Nazarites were whiter than snow.' [Footnote 658] And again: 'They shall walk with Me in white: [Footnote 659] for they are virgins: and follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth.' On account of the same thing white is used on the festivals of angels; concerning whom the Lord saith to Lucifer: [Footnote 660] [Footnote 658: Lamentations iv, 7.] [Footnote 659: The bishop here confuses two passages, Apocal. iii, 4, and xiv, 4. Of the same subject Laevinus Torrentius says beautifully in his hymn on the Holy Innocents: Ergo supremi parte coeli, lactea qua lucidum fulget via, Qua picta dulci stillat uva nectare, et nectar exhalant rosae, Loeti coronis luditis, et insignium mixti puellarum choris Sacrum canentes itis agnum candido quacunque praecedat pede.] [Footnote 660: A misquotation of the bishop's. The words are addressed to Job. Job xxxviii, 7.] {190} 'Where wast thou .... when the morning stars sang together?' Also in all the festivals of the Holy Mother of God. In the feast of All Saints: yet some then use red. In the principal festival of S. John Evangelist. [Footnote 661] In the conversion of S. Paul. In the cathedra of S. Peter. [Footnote 662] Also from the vigil of the nativity of our Lord to the octave of the Epiphany: both inclusive; excepting the festivals of the martyrs included in that period. [Footnote 663] In the nativity of our Lord, and also of His Forerunner, because each was born pure. 'For the Lord rode upon a light cloud,' [Footnote 664] that is, took unto Himself sinless humanity, 'and entered Egypt,' that is, came into the world: as saith the angel to the virgin, 'The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.' [Footnote 665] But John, although he were born in sin, was sanctified from the womb: according to that saying, 'Before thou camest forth from the womb I sanctified thee.' [Footnote 666] And the angel saith to Zecharias, 'He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb.' [Footnote 667] Also white is used in the Epiphany, on account of the splendour of that star which led the wise men, as saith the Prophet, 'and the Gentiles shall come to thy light, [Footnote 668] and kings to the brightness of thy rising.' In the purification also, on account of the purity of the Virgin Mary: which, according to Simeon, gave birth to 'a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.' [Footnote 669]