cause of the Cross and thou shalt easily quench the fires of all thy passions 6. It gives us hopes of our salvation For what may not he hope who beholds Christ dying on the Cross for his Redemption and who looks upon Christ more faithfully than he who frequently imprints his Cross upon his heart and forehead to which the Apostle alluding exhorts all Christians to remember at how dear a rate they are bought and to glorifie and carry God in their Bodyes 7. It inflames our souls in the divin love and charity For who can consider Christ expiring on the Cross for his sake and continue cold and tepid God commends his love towards us say's the Apostle In that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us 8. It a verts from us Gods indignation and revenge In which sense that saying of the Psalmist is understood by S. Gregory of Nice and by S. Hierom. Thou O Lord hast given a sign to them that fear thee that they may fly from before the Bow 9. It defends us from all our enemyes so the same Fathers explicate that other passage of the Psalmist shew some sign upon me for good that they who hate me may see it and be asham'd because thou O Lord hast holpen me and comforted me 10. It drives away the Devills Sign thy self says S. Cyril with the Cross in the forehead that the Devill perceiving the Kings character may be affrighted and fly from thee And again This sign says he is a comfort to Christians and a terrour to the Devills And the Martyr Ignatius The sign of the Cross is a Trophe against the power of the Prince of this world which hearing and beholding he fears and trembles Finally The sign of the Cross says S. Cyrill is the Seminary of all vertues and in it alone says S. Ambrose consists the prosperity of all Christians And if any shall question you O Christians says Tertullian whence this Ceremonie had its first rise and origin Answer them boldly Tradition hath taught it custom hath confirm'd it Faith hath practis'd it Since therefore this sign is of so great power and efficacie against the Devills so assured an Antidote against all sorts of dangers so undrayn a â—lea fountain of all desirable good and happiness as in these few words supported by the authority of such ancient and learned Fathers seems sufficiently declared Let us O devout Fellow-members of the sacred Rosary be carefull to arm our selves therewith upon all occasions at all times in all places and especially at the beginning and end of our Psalter remembring that we are spirituall Souldiers listed by Christ our Captain to fight under the banner of his blessed Cross against the World the Flesh and the Devill undoubtedly hoping by vertue thereof to overcom and vanquish them §. 2. Of the Apostles Creed which is The first part of the Rosary THe Apostolicall Symbol or Creed is so called for that it was made compil'd saith S. Clement by the twelve Apostles being yet together each one of them adding what was conceiv'd necessary to the end that when they were separated they might preach this Rule of Faith to all Nations which as S. Augustin largely declares is a Plain Short Compleat comprehension of our Faith that so its Plainness might correspond to the Hearers capacitie its Shortness to their memorie its Compleatness to the contained doctrin For that which in Greek is named Symbolum is called Collation in Latin because the Catholique doctrine is compendiously knit and collected together in this divin Symbol which signifies also Indicium a mark note or token whereby Orthodox Believers might be known and distinguished from all others Now some of the Reasons why this sacred Creed ought to be recited at the entrance upon our Rosary may be briefly these 1. Because order and Reason seem to require that after the solemn confession and Invocation of the Holy Trinity which is don as aforesaid by making the sign of the Cross We should in the next place make a profession of what we believe of the Trinity 2. Because Faith being the Foundation of Prayer as the Apostle expresly tells us He that comes to God must believe We do hereby most fitly at the begìnning of our Prayer renew excite and reduce our Faith from its habit to an act 3. Because the Church begins and ends the Canonicall Office with a Creed and the Rosary as hath been declared is an Imitation of the Davidicall Psalter and Church Psalmodie 4. Because the Fathers do most seriously recommend the frequent recitall of the Creed to all faithfull Christians Amongst whom S. Augustin some of whose many pithy expressions upon this point we shall only here produce to avoid unnecessary prolixity says thus Having learned your Creed recite it daily when you rise out of your bed when you compose your selv's to rest c. Let iâ— not seem irksome to repeat it Repetition is convenient to avoid oblivion Do not pretend that you said it yesterday that you said it this day that you have it fresh in your memory but express it again repeat it contemplate it let your Creed be your glass there consider your selv's and see whether you believe what you profess and rejoyce daily in your Faith Let your Faith be your richess and let your Creed be as it were the continuall cloathing of your interiour Do you not cloath your body when you rise out of your Bed So by reciting your Symboll you cloath your soul least forgetfulness should leave it naked c. An Exercise upon the Apostles Creed I Believe I Believe acknowledge and confess with heart and mouth all such Articles of Faith as the holy Church proposes to be believed because God who is the Truth it self hath revealed them In particular I believe all that is contain'd in the Apostles Creed whereof I here make my profession in the presence of God my Creator and all the Court of Heaven protesting and promising to live and dy in this Faith O Lord encrease my Faith I believe Lord help my unbelief I believe in God the Father Allmightie Creator of Heaven and Earth I Believe in the first Person of the sacred Trinitie the Eternall Father whom I acknowledg to be full of all possible and imaginable might and power and that he produc'd the Heaven the Earth and all Creatures both visible and invisible of nothing by his sole word and command and out of his own free-will and goodness O my Allmightie and Allmercifull Father you can as easily bring me back into the dark Abysmus of my first Nothing as you from thence powerfully drew me and gave me this present Being Behold I most humbly acknowledg the absolute and perpetuall dependancie which I have upon your divin Majesty I confess that of my self I am nothing have nothing can do nothing and that my whol Being breathing and motion proceeds from your bounty goodness and power And in Jesus Christ his only
FOr the spitefull Pharisees hearing the Apostles speaking all sorts of languages sought to undervalue the miracle by vilifying them as Drunkards but St Peter standing up in his own and his brethrens defence solidly refutes their malicious imputation to the great joy admiration and confirmation of all the Auditors and confusion of his enemies Hail Mary 7. At the sodain multiplication of the faithfull FOr St. Peters efficacious Oration was no sooner ended but three thousand Souls were presently converted to the Faith of Christ and forthwith baptizd in his name and five thousand more within few dayes after Hail Mary 8. At the fructification of Christs Passion FOr the blessed Virgin-Mother saw not only the present fruits of her Sons death and sufferings spread abroad in the Apostles and the new converted Christians but she also foresaw the future multitude of martyrs who should couragiously dy for his love besides the vast number of confessors virgins and religious Persons who should cheerfully take up their Crosses and faithfully follow him Hail Mary 9. At the great encrease of the divin honour and worship FOr Pagans Gentills Idolaters and people of all professions renouncing their ancient errors came flocking in amain to be instructed in the Faith of Christ and to follow the Evangelicall doctrin Hail Mary 10. At the accomplishment of the number of the Elect. FOr the blessed Virgin joyfully foresaw that all such souls as should depart this life in the true Faith of of her Son Jesus inform'd with charity were to be added to the number of the Saints and to be admitted to his heavenly Kingdom Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. These Prayers Angelical c. Affections Elevations Petitions O Glorious Creator How great is your Mercy how infinit your liberalitie How excessive your affection to undeserving and ungratefull Mankind After your only Son was so ill treated amongst us would you also send down the Holy Ghost unto us It plainly appears that we have a potent Advocate in Heaven Jesus Christ the just to plead our cause and a Powerfull Mother upon Earth Mary the Mother of Jesus to impetrate for us this extraordinary favour It is therefore the Mothers merit and the Sons Mercy and the Eternal Fathers liberalitie and the Holy Ghosts goodness that this holy Spirit descends from Heaven upon us A Spirit of life and love a Spirit of solace and sweetness a Spirit of grace and happiness a Spirit which comes in form of fiery tongues to clear our understandings with his light to inflame our wills with his heat and to govern our tongues and affections with his gracious direction A light which dazels not a fire which consumes not a tongue which threatens not accuses not condemns not O sacred and divin Spirit you are the Father of the afflicted the Distributer of graces the enlightner of hearts the comforter of Souls and alas how opposite are my actions to your properties perfections inspirations You descend to instill into me the spirit of sweetness meekness patience and I converse with such as are under my charge and with others who are perchance far better before you than my self with a spirit of choller and peevishness with a spirit of rigour and harshness with a spirit of revenge and bitterness Ah uncharitable wretch that I am shall I contristate my neighbour instead of comforting him shall I exact from others instead of conferring benefits upon them shall I under-value my brethrens actions censure their intentions obscure their reputations instead of putting a charitable construction upon all things whatsoever Change this my crooked and crabbed disposition O powerfull Spirit thâ— plentifull bestower of all perfect gifts by the efficacy of your sacred influence upon my soul purge me I beseech you from my present imperfections pardon me for my past impieties and prevent me from future fallings by implanting your spirit of true peace and charity in my interiour which may keep my heart evermore burning in the love of you and my neighbour till I come to be totally absorpt in you together with the coequall Son and Father in your blessed Eternitie Amen The fourth glorious Mysterie she dy's THe assumption of the blessed Virgin up to Heaven Allegorically understood by Maryes chosing the best part Luke 10. The Virgins sacred Corps too rich a prize For Earth is born by Angels 'bove the Skyes Our Father c. The glorious Virgin-Mothers heart was replenish'd with exceeding great joy 1. At the news of the near approaching dissolution of her soul and body FOr as the holy Doctors deliver unto us after the dispersion of the Apostles into the Worlds severall quarters to preach the Gospell the blessed Virgin retir'd her felf into a privat dwelling near adjoyning to Mount Sion that she might pass the remaining day 's of her Pilgrimage upon earth in the devout contemplation of her divin Sons actions and the frequent visitation of the holy places of his Baptism Fasting Passion Buriall Resurrection Ascention when behold at the time appointed by the eternall providence a heavenly Messenger probably the Arch-Angell Gabriel reverently saluting her in her Sons name informs her of her near approaching departure out of this life Hail Mary 2. At the securitie of heâ— Glorious and speedy Resurrection FOr as Albertus and all the Doctors agree she could not possibly doubt of her present and immediate Translation to Eternall happiness Hail Mary 3. At her dying without any dread terrour or trouble FOr how could She fear death who was so fervent in Charity as that she desired nothing more than to be dissolved and to be with Christ How could She be terrifi'd at Deaths approach who was absolutely free from all sin and impiety Or how could She be troubled at the apprehension of Gods severe Judgments who was secure of her salvation 4. At the presence of the Apostles at her departure FOr it is a generally receiv'd Tradition of the Fathers That all the Apostles were by divin instinct sodainly gather'd together from the worlds severall climats to honour her with their personall presence at this time of her earthly dissolution Hail Mary 5. At the sweet separation of her Soul aâ—… Body FOr say's S. Hierom as She was free from the corruption of the flesh so she was exempt from the calamities of Death And S. John Damascen The pain 's which she suffer'd not in childing and dying She payd at the time of Christs Passion Hail Mary 6. At the Ioyfull Re-union of her Soul and Body in her Resuscitation and Assumption into Heaven FOr according to S. Augustin There was no reason corruption should seize on her after death whose integrity was preserv'd in her life c. but 't was fit she should be always living who was the Parent of all life and that she should be always with him who for nine months space was with her in her womb c. Hail Mary 7. At Christ's meeting her accompanyed with the Heavenly
LOVE O MERCY O MERVAIL You will unite your Greatness to our Baseness your Eternity to our Mortality your Divinity to our humanity becoming Son of Man Son of Mary for an Eternity as from all Eternity you are the Son of GOD the only Son of the Eternall Father 4. Gods Son gives his Eternall Essence and Subsistence to our nature I Adore you in this highest Councill and divin Will I Adore you in this new estate and deep Mystery I Adore you in the unity of your divin Person and in the diversity of your natures the one Divin and Eternall the other human and temporall I Adore you as receiving your Eternall Essence from the Eternall Father and as giving your Essence you subsistency to human nature united to your self for an Evermore Vnited I say to your self so intimatly and so powerfully so gloriously and so divinely O Adorable Estate O Unspeakable Mystery O happy Moment of the Incarnation which makes man God and God man Which gives to Heaven a King of Glory and to the Earth a Soveraign To Angells a Repayrer and to Men a Saviour 5. Jesus is born lives suffers dyes for us O JESU my Lord and my Saviour I Adore you as Gods Son I Adore you as Mans Son and Man God I Adore you in these two different Estates The one Eternall the other Temporall the one uncreated the other created the one divin the other human joyned together and joyned inseparably But I must yet Adore you as Man-God for man For 't is for us that you would be made Man 't is for us that you live and dy 't is for us that you do suffer 't is for us that you are born in a Stable and bedded on straw 't is for us that you lead an abject laborious suffering life 't is for us that you dy upon Mount Calvary and hang on the Cross 't is for us that you arise and ascend into Glory O Birth O Life O Death O Divin glorious heavenly Life O blessed hour of the Incarnation of the Expiration of the glorification of Gods Son O Estates of Jesus in his Fathers bosom and at his Mothers breasts hanging on the Cross and sitting on the right hand of God! O Abodes O Estates O Mysteries of Jesus in Judea in Egypt in Galilee in Bethleem in Nazareth in Jerusalem in the Crib on the Cross in the Grave on Earth in Hell in Heaven Who can recount your thoughts your griefs your delights in these places But Heaven will one day reveal them unto us and the Contemplation hereof shall be one of the employments of our Eternity till when the Earth must remain ignorant hereof must Reverence them and must be content with the Crums falling from your Saints Tables whom you plentifully nourish with this living and life-giving bread on Earth and in Heaven 6. Jesus Adores his Heights by his Lownesses and rayseth up his Lownesses by his Greatnesses 1. BY their Example and Imitation I Contemplate and Adore you O Jesu my Lord I Adore you in your Greatness and in your Abjectness in your Cross and in your Glory in your life and in your death 2. I Adore you as raysing up your Lowness by your Greatness your human life by your divin Life your disgraces by your glory and your suffring estate by your impassible immutable and eternall condition 3. I Adore you as Adoring your self your Greatness by your Littleness your Divinity by your Humanity your Birth in your Fathers bosom by your Birth of your Mother-Virgin in the Ox-stall your supreme Authority by your humility and your uncreated Essence by your Created Being 4. And after this Contemplation of you in your self I contemplate and Adore you as going forth of your self as extending and spreading your self and as filling Heaven and Earth with your Grace and your Glory with your gifts and your Mysteries and finally with your self O God! O Man O Man-God O Infinitly prodigall of your self 7. Jesus's excessive love in the effusion of his last drop of Blood for us thereby testifying the effusion of his Greatness and Goodness also upon us I Inlarge my self in the variety of these thoughts I am ravisht in these different Exercises which my Soul makes of your self and I lose my self in the Contemplation of these so high and great verities For in honour of that supream Communication which you receive from your Father in the Eternall generation and in honour of that Ineffable Communication of your Divinity with our Humanity in the Incarnation I look upon you I admire you I Adore you O my Lord as annihilating your self and as exhausting your self that you may bestow your self on men You as it were drayn your Divinity powring it out upon your humanity consuming it incessantly in the furnace of your love and at last sacrificing it in the Holocaust of your Cross you shed your Blood in suffering and you dy by the effusion thereof chosing that kind of death to demonstrate the effusion of your self And the Nayls and Executioners being unable to empty it all the ardour of your love which cannot be extinguish'd in death it self preserv's liquid in death's coldness that residue left in your heart and body to be drain'd out even to the last drop Such was your good pleasure to make an aboundant and super-aboundant Effusion both of your blood and also of your self together 8. Jesus is all ours and we are all his yea we are in him we live in him we are parts of him WHat shall I say what shall I do in the Contemplation of these things Let me forget my self for you forget Your self for me Let me leave and loose my self for you annihilate Your self for me Let me be yours for You are mine let me be all yours for you are all mine Let me be all yours for ever for you are all mine for ever Your Divinity as it were Incarnated is my substance and my subsistence your humanity as it were divinized is my health my life your Body is my diet and your Blood is my Bath your Death is my life your weakness is my strength your Cross is my quiet your suffering is my rejoycing Thus I am yours and you are mine And I am yours O my loving Saviour by your self and by a means so noble and so divin so dear and near unto you and by so many sorts of ways which give you unto me which consecrate me to you and which even draw and drain you all out for me But I discover yet a greater secret in your love and in your Mysteries and a greater favour in your way of dealing with me For you are not only mine and I yours but I am in you I perceive that whilst I Contemplate your self and your Father and see that you are in him that you live in him you frame within me a lively Image of your self and of your divin Emanation and by your Incarnation you establish a new manner of gracious
servant of the sacred Virgin even from the cradle to his last gasp receiv'd from her many signall favours and comforts both in the time of his Bishoprick and of his banishment Amongst other demonstrations of her Affection towards him she vouchsaf'd to instruct him in his prayers and devotions and whereas he used daily to salute her in honour of her seven temporall Joy's she was graciously pleas'd to reveal unto him Seven other Celestiall Joys which she doth shall possess in heaven for all eternity enjoyning him to add the memory of them also to his former daily duty This glorious Bishop and Martyr dyed in the year 1170. Besides the Festivities of the sacred Virgin-Mother affix'd as above to certain days of the year there are yet some others which are Moveable 1. UPon the Friday before Palm-Sunday The Feast or Commemoration of the sacred Virgins sorrows which blessed Simeon prophecyed unto her when she presented her Son Jesus to his Eternall Father in the Temple This feast is celebrated by the Cistercians as appears in their Breviary upon the 16. of April but by others more properly upon the Friday before Palâ— Sunday in memory of the many swords of sorrow which pierc'd her maternall heart in her dear Sons Death and Passion 2. Upon the Saturday after the Ascension The Feast or Commemoration of the Blessed Virgins Joys which she receiv'd both in this world and possesses for all Eternity in heaven which Joys are express'd in most pithy and pious verses by the glorious Martyr S. Thomas Arch-bishop of Canterbury As may be seen in Canisius lib. 4. cap. 13. and which were revealed to S. Mechtild in the first Book of her Revelations Chap. 66. 3. Upon the last Sunday of August The Feast or Recollection of all the Feasts of the sacred Virgin-Mother which is solemnly celebrated at Doway upon this day though in other places it is transferr'd to the First Sunday of September The Institution whereof is related by Lipsius in the first Book and fifth Chapter of his Lovanium and the Office thereof may be found in the Cambray Breviary printed at Paris 1507. 4. Upon the Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin the Feast of her glorious Name MARIA is with great solemnity celebrated at Bruxels and in other places R. B. Prefect of the Arch-Confraternity of the ROSARIE in the Oratory of the ever Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of Power in the City of Amsterdam wisheth eternall health and happiness to the devout Rosarists HOnoured Zealous and Religious Brethren and Sisters The service which I have long since promised and protested to the ever blessed Virgin Mary the glorious Mother of my God The Great Queen of Heaven and Earth The Powerfull Patroness of all Mankind The Soveraign Mistris of our Arch-Confraternity and the Place and Title of Prefect which I though most unworthy possess amongst you hath put this days discourse into my mouth A discourse not directly tending to the Reformation of your Lives Manners and Conversations which were a design in me as presumptuous as improper a matter as far above my Sphear as beyond my Ability A task which our worthy Dean painfully and carefully performs to our great comfort and profit in his pious Exercises and Orations But a discourse ayming at these two ends To declare what the Rosary is And what it is to be of the Rosary To describe the Dignity of this our Confraternity and the Duty of us who are ascribed into this holy Society to shew you how fitly it is by us embraced and how faithfully we ought to behave our selves in it O Sacred Spirit by whose Conduct our pious Predecessors laid the happy foundation of this most renowned Confraternity inspire my understanding to conceive something worthy so high a Subject Enable my tongue to speak something beseeming the blessed Virgins prayses Direct my Pen to couch something for her devout Childrens comfort encouragement edification Man being by nature a Sociable Creature is inclined by the principles of his Essence by the temper of his complexion by the violence of his originall disposition to seek out some Consorts and Companions of his own kind and condition to the end he may solace himself in their Society Conduct his lives course by their Counsell and Communicate with them his affairs and affections And his naturall propension to Society is that which hath civiliz'd Mankind policy'd the whol World built up Cities order'd Commonwealths and Kingdoms and which conserves all things in their due order and union God the Soveraign Creator of all things who ingrav'd this powerfull instinct of Society in mans Soul as a disposition connaturall to his life and being A condition necessary for the conservation entertainment and common good of the whole Vniverse A qualitie which he made recommendable from the first origin of time not onely amongst his own people as may appear in the Law of Nature and the Law written but even amongst the Pagans Idolaters and most barbarous Nations as might be exemplified out of all profane Annalls and Histories would not have it perish in the law of Grace but cutting off the abuse permitted the use thereof to be continued and preserved for the good of his Church for the salvation of Christian Souls for the solace and support of his faithfull Servants And therefore he hath from time to time excited pious people to assemble themselves together for the inflaming of one anothers Zeal Fervour and devotion for their mutuall assistance and consolation for the increase of each others merit and vertue To live soberly piously justly under the discreet Laws Rules and Ordinances of one common Society Congregation Confraternity And surely our blessed Redeemer himself to begin at the fountain head of all Sanctity the exemplary pattern of all Perfection descending from Heaven to accomplish on Earth the sacred design which he decreed from all Eternitie as if this point had been one of the Prime and principall projects of his Incarnation seems to aym at nothing more than the establishment of unity in number Union in division Peace and Charity amongst men This was his Life his Preaching his Practice to put down Schismes Divisions Partialities and to Imprint in Christians hearts the love of Concord and the Honour of a happy Confraternity For what is more frequently inculcated in the Sacred Gospells in the Epistles Decrees Constitutions of the Apostles in the whol Volumes of the holy Bible than Peace Charity Fraternity What greater precept did Christ impose upon all Christians than when he said I give you a new Command to love one another adding immediately In this the World shall know you to be my Disciples if you are united in affection Mutuall charity is the manifest Signet of Christianity the Royall Ensign of my Religion the true badg of Piety the particular livery of my Children the distinguishing mark of my faithfull followers friends and favourites In obedience to this command we find registred in holy
the verses of the Davidicall Psalter comprehending thrice fifty Psalms so employing the greatest part of their time in the divin praises The devout Laity though much inferiour to them in point of learning and knowledg yet desirous to equall them in Gods love and service emulating this laudable custom but some of them being unable to read others uncapable to understand these sacred Psalms invented and dayly recited a certain Psalter according to the mysticall number of the Davidical Psalms of the Lords Prayer and Angelicall salutation an hundred and fifty times repeated piously conceiving as well they might that all the sacred mysteries of those many Psalm's were compendiously contain'd in this singular Prayer and Salutation since they declar'd him to be now come and present whom those Psalms had foretold and promis'd Which devotion of the Primitive Christians will not seem any wonder to such as duely consider their great fervour and piety in other spirituall exercises as may be instanced in that the whol generality of the lay-people receiv'd then dayly the sacred Eucharist Surely a most convenient way to lay that first foundation of a new Church upon solid devotion and sanctity which was to sustain afterwards so weightie a superstructure But when in the following ages the number of Christians encreasing and the fervour of piety decaying this kind of Psalter became burthensome to the multitude of Christians who were now more attentive to their domestick and temporall negotiations than zealous of the divin service it was abridg'd into an hundred and fifty Angelical salutations keeping still the same mystical number but changing its denomination into that of the blessed Virgins Psalter and interlacing each Decade with the recitall of our Lords Prayer in imitation of the Clergie so performing their Church Psalmodie This was that Psalter so much prays'd and practis'd by the Egyptian Hermits and Anchorits to which they had recourse as to their present solace in all their pressing sadnesses and afflictions their powerfull Remedie against all thier troubles and temptations their secure Sanctuary in all their spirituall conflicts and combats This manner of Prayer was also frequented and practis'd not onely as to its substance which are the Lords Prayer and Angelical salutation but also as to its forenam'd Quantity and Qual'ty by the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church Witness St. Hierom of whom it is related in the Ecclesiastical histories That he plac'd an undoubted hope in the suffrages of this Psalter against all temptations troubles and afflictions whatsoever and especially against the Adversaries of the Christian Faith nor would he ever settle himself say's Fossaeus lib. 1. de Psalterio to any serious reading writing or dictating till he had first implor'd the divin assistance by the recitall of this Psalter Neither must we omit say's Alanus de Rupe to make mention of that most worthy Patriark of Monks St. Bennet who chose this Psalter for his familiar and perpetuall companion and so deserv'd to become the famous founder of Monastical Institution Which propagation of the Marian Psalter say's Bucelinus in his Menologium March 21. is none of the least of St. Bennets prayses the Queen of Heaven her self highly approving and commending the same endowing her Bennet for so she was heard to name him with many signall favours benefits and blessings and chosing the Monasteries of his sacred Order as it were for her earthly seat and mansion even to this day And in the Benedictin Annals anno 538. we find registred that though St. Bennet from his very infancy and in the beginning of his conversion when he laid the first plat-form of monastical Perfection was singularly devoted to the Empress of Heaven and a great Promotor of her Honour Name and Kingdom Yet chiefly about this time to wit the 59th year of his age he promulgated in the head City and to the whol World that sweet easy and efficacious exercise of the blessed Virgins Psalter which himself with his Disciples had so piously and profitably practis'd within the private Cloysters of Sublake and Mount Cassin and which St. Dâ—minick the glorious Institutor of a new Marian Family and Reformer of the old when by length of time this sort of devotion became neglected after 700. years space revived and re-established This Psalter I say this very Psalter did our great Patriarch St. Bennet deliver to the World and recommend with immortall fruit and merit to his Disciples who were to be sent into the earths severall Climats to establish monastical discipline which they undoubtedly perform'd with so much the more happy success by how much they preach'd and promoted the sacred Virgins honour together with the sincere faith of her Son Christ Jesus Hence it is that the whol Quire of his succeeding Monks imitating the example of so glorious a Father became ever since most zealous practitioners and promoters of the same piety and devotion and to the end it might be perpetuated to all their posterity they prudently set apart one day of the year in which they make a particular Commemoration of the sacred Psalter thus instituted by their Patriarch St. Bennet to wit the 18. of June where their Martyrologe say's thus Upon the same day the Feast or Commemoration of the blessed Virgin-Mothers Psalter instituted to the honour of the glorious Empress of Heaven aad Earth by our admirable Father and Patriarch St. Bennet to be practis'd in his whol Order and propagated throughout the whol World by his most holy Children and Disciples And how zealously his said children perform'd this their Fathers precept of promulgating in all places the sacred Virgins Psalter might be largely demonstrated and exemplified in all the succeeding ages For of St. Maurus whom our holy Father yet living sent into France and who dyed in the year 583. it is thus expresly written He promoted the honour of the admirable Virgin-Mother with all possible diligence and with incomparable fruit and merit and propagated far and near the use of her sacred Psalter according to the institute of his most blessed Father St. Bennet And of St. Eligius the glorious Builder Founder and Abbot of Solemmacum the Bishop of Nâ—yon the Apostle of many Provinces a man famous not only for his prodigious sanctity but also for his skill in Smithery who dyed in the year 665. he was a singular Honourer of the Sacred Virgin-Mother whose Psalter he carryed for his Pontificall Ensign and made for himself an Episcopall Chair adorn'd with an hundred and fifty golden-nails or bosses distinguish'd with other fifteen of a greater size and bulk upon which he dayly perform'd his devotions of the Psalter And in the ensuing Age the same sort of Piety was spread abroad not only over our English Nation but into the far and near adjoyning Kingdom 's by the preaching of our venerable Bede who dyed in the year 738. of whom it is written that he brought his Countrey men into so great a veneration of the Marian Psalter
Fathers help to hold them by the hand and direct their unskilfull footsteps We most devout Auditors are these little weaklings in the wilderness of this world unable of our selves to walk forward or work any thing Let us therefore have recourse to hâ—m from whom is all our force and sufficiencie humbly imploring his presence and assistance by saying Pater noster Our Father 2. If any were to pass over a Field full of Snakes Serpents Dâ—agons and all sorts of venemous creatures had they not need of some holy Guide who were free from being hurt by them Of some valiant Champion who were able to destroy them of some Powerfull Person who were capable to carry them on his shoulders above the reach of the stings and poysons of these ravenous Beasts We live alas in a land full of Infernall Dragons Christ only is this holy valiant and strong Champion who can deliver us from their dangerous morsures le ts therefore incessantly invoke his assistance saying Qui es Who art 3. If any were to pass through some dismall and darksom place had they not need of Heavens light to help them forward We sejourn here in darkness and in the shadow of death Christ is the Clarity of Heaven the shining Sun of Justice the bright Star of Jacob. Le ts therefore often lift up to him our eyes and hearts saying In Coelis In Heaven 4. If any were to make a journey during which whosoever should be caught in a deadly crime must presently be adjudg'd to death had he not need to be himself holy or to be in the company of holy persons we have such a journey to make and the soul that sins mortally dyes presently as to grace and Eternally without Gods great mercy To the end therefore that our selves may be sanctified and that we may be assisted by the Saints and by the Saint of Saints le ts often say Sanctificetur Hallowed 5. If any were to pass through an unknow Countrey to an unknown City had they not need to learn the language or rely upon some faithfull Interpreter Our Pilgrimage is through a strange land to enquire after a far future Citie where the Angells language is used and there are two Schools wherein this celestiall language is learned The Lords Prayer and the Angelicall Salutation Let 's therefore betake our selves seriously to our sacred Rosary and there humbly invoke that name which designs Gods Word by which all things were made saying Nomen tuum Thy Name 6. If any were to pass through the Territories of some cruell Tyrant who made bondslaves of all such as he could catch within his clutches had they not need to cast about for some means of succour in case of their surprisall The World is this Tyrant and Christ is our only succour to whom we must instantly and frequently sue and sigh saying Adveniat Regnum tuum Thy Kingdom come 7. If any were to pass through an enemies Dominion had they not need of a safe conduct or letters Patents The accomplishment of the divin Will says Saint Augustin is our chief liberty Le ts therfore amidst all our dangers produce these Patents pronouncing often Fiat voluntas tua Thy will be done 8. If any were to pass a Field overflow'd with water had they not need of a Ship to support them from sinking This World says S. Basil is a deluge of wickedness and this life is a flood of miseries wherefore lets fly to heaven for refuge saying frequently Sicut in coelo As it is in heaven 9. If the road be rough and rugged with Rocks Hills and Mountains unpassable by reason of boggs and quick-sands unsafe through Earthquaques c. had not the Pilgrims need to seek out some secure path whereby to escape such evident dangers Our souls are such Pilgrims in our bodyes encompass'd with calamities shaken with fears and apprehensions terrifi'd with visible and invisible enemies Let 's therefore walk in the way of our Lords Prayer which will surely lead us to Paradise and say often In terra In earth 10. If any live in a barren land oppress'd with famin and poverty must they not make some daily provision for victualls or els be sure to perish with hunger We live in a dismall desert in a place of horror and vast solitude says the Prophet Moyses Deut. 32.10 in a land of death famin and miserie and Prayer says S. Basil brings in the bread of life for our spirituall sustenance Let 's therefore betake us to our Psalter and pray frequently Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie Give us this day our daily bread 11. If any were engag'd in great sums to a severe prince who would infallibly punish them with death if they punctually payd not their debts yet promising freely to pardon all such as should humbly petition him were it it not a madness to refuse the asking of so great a mercy we are debtors to the Dâ—vin Justice and since we are uncapable to pay we are liable to Eternall Death unless we will pray humbly fervently perseverantly Dimitte nobis debita nostra Forgive us our trespasses 12. If any were presently to suffer a cruell death for their enormous crimes unless they would condescend to pardon some smaller offences of their neighbors were they not miserable unhappy obstinate wretches to deny it This Pardon is given and our own obtain'd by saying cordially Sicut nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris As we forgive them that trespass against us 13. If they who are grievously troubled with Diabolical Carnal Worldly temptations might be freed by the carryage of one little Stone about them were they not strangely stupid to neglect so small a matter for the obtaining so great a benefit our Lords Prayer is this precious Stone which say's St. Augustin preserves from all harms and illusions who then would not have it alwaies in his heart and mouth saying evermore Et ne nos inducas in tentationem and lead us not into temptation If finally any were to sayl over a boysterous sea beset on this side with Syrens Whales Gryphons all sorts of devouring Monsters on that side full of Rocks Sands Gulphs all sorts of death bringing danger And a King and Queen standing on the shore should proffer to give them two Gemms indu'd with power to prevent all these perills might they not be said willingly to perish who willfully refused them This is our case my Christian Auditors who are to sayl over the Sea of this life beset on every side with Devils Sins and all sorts of dangers and behold Christ our King and Redeemer offers us his efficacious Prayer and Mary our Queen Mother her Angelical Salutation to secure us from shipwrack O let us gratefully accept them and frequently repeat in our Psalter Sed libera nos a malo But deliver us from evill Amen This is the Summary of St. Dominicks sermon whereby he parabolically in imitation of our blessed Saviour and efficaciously
mortall infirm and miserable life upon â—arth and depressing this humanity thus united to the Word in the state and mysterie of your mortall wayfaring unregarded and suffering life for this Humanity being in this sort elevated into the Throne and estate of a divin Person should not have been in any other condition than of Glory and Splendour Of Splendour I say befitting the Divinity to which it is inseparably united And yet O Love O Bounty you depress it for me even to an estate and form of an humble life and serving your own creatures and at last even to the opprobrious cruell and servill punishment of the Cross 13. An Oblation of our selv's to Jesus in honour of this his double estate of being a servant THerfore in honour of this double estate and form of servant unto which you have been pleas'd to reduce your Supream Greatness I offer and present my self unto you O Jesu I render my self for ever a Slave to you and to your Adorable Humanity I render my self Slave to your Love Slave to your Greatness and Slave to your depressions I embrace this condition and make it universally and totally subjecting all whatsoever is in me For my will is that all that which I am my will is that my life of nature and of grace and all my actions be yours and your sacred Humanities as things belonging to it in a new manner by this qualitie and condition of servitude towards it which I now here offer And I require that my life my estate and my Soul carry a Particular badge of this my belonging dependency and servitude to you and to your Humanity thus Deifi'd and thus depressed both together 14. The Continuance of this Oblation of Servitude AND could I but come to the knowledge of any estate and reference of my self towards you more dependent of you and any relation more humble and more strict than this of bondage and servitude I would forthwith embrace it therby to refer my self to you as a thing due both to the greatness of the estate to which your Humanity is elevated by the Hypostaticall union as also the excess of its love and of that voluntarie depression whereunto it humbled and annihilated it self for my salvation and for my glorie 15. A confirmation of this our Oblation of Servitude BUT alas what shall I do your greatnesses are permanent our duties of Fealtie are perpetuall and I come late to these lights and yet they also are unsteady and our minds do easily permit themselv's to be diverted from things so great so worthy and so just But I will confirm my self in these verities and in these Intentions I will repair the time past I will render my self yours even for all that time in which I might have known you and might have serv'd you I will bequeath unto you for ever all that I am and all that I can I will that all that which is in me reflect towards you and serve you only and perfectly I will have no other conduct motion or sense but by you and for you And I will that in vertu of this present cogitation intention and oblation each moment of my life and each action of the same appertain to you O Jesu and to your sacred Humanity as if I made a particular tender of them all unto you 16. An ardent desire of an inseparable union with Christ O Only Son of God! The Tye wherby you have fastn'd your self to us is indissoluble nor was Death which you suffred nor Hell which you entred nor Mens sins which you carryed able to break it I would also make with you an indissoluble knot O Jesu my Lord You can grant me this favour And that on my part I may dispose my self thereto I Adore you in the unity you have with the Father Unity which renders you inseparable from him I adore you in the Union which you have with us Union so strong that nothing can dissolve it Union so inward that it cannot be more intrinsecall and immediate since that it penetrates even to the bottom of human Being In the honour and in the efficacy of this union I offer up to you this my desire of being united to you for evermore And I make irrevocable as much as possibly I may this my Oblation Donation and servitude to you and to your humanity as being holy and sacred by reason of your Divinity it self which is substantially and personally resident therein 17. The Humanity of Jesus is the Temple of the Divinity O Holy Humanity you are the Temple of the Divinity and even so he calls you who chose you for himself and united you to himself and who hath the words of life for he said to the Jews Dissolve this Temple and I will in three days build it up again And those gross and materiall minds apply'd this discours to their Temple and to their stones But O Jesu according to your own Apostle you spake of another Temple of the Temple of your body A Temple principall singular and particular of the Divinity which was pleas'd to choose this Body this Humanity to triumph in it and by it and render it self visible in its greatnesses in the midd'st of the Earth 18. What great things are wrought in this Humanety THE Divinity therfore reposeth in you O sacred Humanity as in its Temple Temple living and animated Temple consecrated by the unction of the Divinity it self which is present subsistent and living in you to take up there its repose to be there acknowledg'd and ador'd and there to operate divin and adorable actions And it reposeth in this Humanity more holily more divinly and more admirably than even in the order and state of glory And it cooperats there things more high and more great than it doth in Heaven For we see that in it God is Man and Man is God God is born and dying God is living and suffering and Man-God is satisfying in the tearms of Justice to the Divin Justice A thing far surpassing all present and possible condition of Grace and Glory 19. This Humanity is holy by the Divinity it self which is a substantiall sanctity flowing from him into himself and thence into us I Also Reverence and Adore you O sacred Humanity as the most holy thing after God which God himself finds amongst the Treasures of his Wisdom and amongst the unexhaustible depths of his absolute power For notwithstanding that you resemble us in nature you are not like to us in Grace because the Grace and Sanctity which is proper to you is not such as is proper to Angells and men which though it were infinitly multiply'd could never arrive to the shadow of your sanctity but would be still infinitly distant But you are holy with a holiness incomparably higher with a holiness proper to your self with a holiness which is adorable with a holiness issuing from the divin Essence and Person as from its act and from its proper