At his conducting the souls of the saints with him into heaven ACcording to that passage of the Psalmist He ascending on high led captivity captive which S. Thomas understands of the Patriarâ—…â—…ee'd from the captivity of Limbus Hail Mary 8. At his opening Heaven gates for our entrance ANd preparing places against our coming as himself said I go to prepare a place for you that where I am you may also be So that Christs Ascension say's S. Leo is our Promotion and whither the glory of the head is gon before the hope of the body is call'd to follow after Hail Mary 9. At his being appointed the Advocate of Mankind WE have say's S. John an Advocate with God the Father Christ Jesus the Just and he is the propitiation for our sins Hail Mary 10. At the great Fruit and Profit redounding to us by his Ascension FOR as S. Thomas proves the withdrawing of his corporall presence increases our Faith elevates our Hope inflames our Charity and therefore He himself said It is expedient for you that I go Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost c. These Prayers Angelicall with bended knee c. Affections Elevations Petitions O My glorious Lord Jesu It is just that you should Ascend to the Highest Heaven who descended to the center of the earth And that you should be exalted above all Angells since you humbled your self under all men O my Soul design'd for an Eternity where wilt thou ground thy feet that thou mayst securely take thy flight towards Heaven thy happy home the finall end of thy Pilgrimage and the only aim of all thy endeavours Look upon Christ thy Captain and learn by his most perfect example to ground thy self in Humility and to content thy self with crosses contempt and poverty which were his three individuall companions during the whol time of his earthly Pilgrimage O Jesu the amiable Object of all my affections And who should be the absolute pattern of all my actions I am resolv'd to leave all for the love of you and to forsake all that I may freely follow you For alas what are all worldly pleasures greatnesses and glories or what sweet Object can the whol Universe shew my eyes which can fully satisfie my heart And ha why then should I any longer miserable and ill advised wretch that I am let my self be surpriz'd with the false lustre of earthly vanities why should I fix my love upon fond toyes and trifles which only fool my senses but fill not my soul No my soul let 's now at last leave the Earth and look up to Heaven Thither Christ is ascended There our Treasure is plac'd and let our affection be there also fixed and O what shall hinder us a moment of brutish pleasure a grain of self-interest a sparkle of soon fading glory O meer Nothings and less than Nothings No my good Jesu I feel my self by the secret impulse of your inacting grace in my spirit so forcibly mov'd to sent you to obey you and to bestow on you the whol remainder of my life and love that if it should hereafter happen and ah my frailtie how can I trust thee which hast so often betray'd my best intentions and broken my strongest resolutions If therefore it shall fall out that my eyes or any respect of this Worlds most pleasing Objects hinder me from seeing your beauty contemplating your bounty and reflecting upon your mercy Tear them out of my head that I may behold you with my spiritual Eyes O Iesu the true light of my soul without disturbance or distraction If my right hand or any thing I possess or which is as near to my heart as my arm is to my hand becomes the occasion of my offending you hinders me from fast holding you diverts me from serving you diligently devoutly and according to my obligation and duty Cut it off O Jesu my soveraign Good my sole Riches and Treasure that I may clip you embrace you and be inseparably united to you with all the affections of my soul If my very heart it self or that which is nearer and dearer to me than this fountain of Life hinders me from bequeathing my self entirely to you from purely seeking you from perfectly loving you pluck it out of my breast O Jesu the only beloved of my Soul that henceforth I may have no thought but of you no will but yours no affection but for you no life but in you So shall I want neither eyes nor hands nor heart living thus spiritually during this my Pilgrimage in the heart of Jesus which is my seat my Sun my center my all till I become happily translated to live with him and be more perfectly united to him in his eternall Paradise The third glorious Mysterie Sends down Our blessed Saviour sends down the Holy Ghost to his Church Acts 2. Our Lord to his Apostles joyn'd in Quite Sends down the Holy Ghost in tongues of fire Our Father c. The glorious Virgin-Mother exceedingly rejoyc'd 1. At the miraculous manner of the Holy Ghosts coming FOr the Disciples returning back from Mount Olivet where our Saviour ascended to Jerusalem went into the same upper Room in which he had celebrated his last supper continuing there unanimously in prayer with Mary the Mother of Iesus and many other devout men and women untill the tenth day when sodainly about the third hour of the morning there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind filling the whol house as it were with fire which dividing it self into severall parts resembling cloven tongues setled upon each ones head and replenish'd their hearts with the Holy Ghost Hail Mary 2. At the fullfilling of Christs promises FOr he had told them if I depart from you the Holy Ghost shall descend unto you he shall teach you all truth and inform you of what is to come hereafter all which was now fully accomplish'd Hail Mary 3. At the multiplication of tongues or speaking of all languages WHereby the blessed Virgin clearly saw that the Apostles were not only design'd to preach the faith of her Son Christ Jesus to the whol World but joyfully perceiv'd they were also indu'd with all such perfections as were necessary in order to the effecting so great a work Hail Mary 4. At the Apostles confirmation in grace and goodness FOr the sacred Virgin who had sadly seen their former frailty and the feebleness of their Faith knew to her great content that they were now so strengthened with Gods holy Spirit as they were out of all danger for the future both of falling into infidelity and also of sinning mortally Hail Mary 5. At the Apostles patience courage and constancy in their persecutions FOr they who were lately so fearfull are now so cheerfull in their sufferings that they esteem it a speciall honour to indure shame for the holy name of Jesus Hail Mary 6. At the confutation of the Iew 's and Infidels
and in them all Christians how they should pray and what they should beg daily of the divin Majestie It is the prime Exemplar of all Prayers the Abridgment of the Gospell the Summary of all our just and fitting petitions and the absolute Form of imploring all such good things as we can expect and desire and of deprecating all such bad things as we are to shun and avoid Finally It is to be by so much the more zealously frequented prized and reverenced before all other prayers whatsoever by how much it excels them all in all sorts of prerogatives First in Authority and dignity as being prescribed by Christ Jesus the Wâ—sdom it self the Truth it self the Divinity it self 2. In Brevity and facility as embracing in few easy and intelligible words all that can rightly be demanded of the Divin Majesty 3. In vertu and efficacie For how should our heavenly Father refuse to hear our petitions which are humbly presented to his Throne of Mercy in the express terms and in obedience to the precept of his dearly beloved Son Christ Jesus Affections contained in our Lords Prayer 1. OF a poor Pilgrim and Prodigall child sighing after his Countrey kindred and Fathers house Our Father which art in Heaven 2. Of a Faithfull servant forgetting himself to procure his Masters honour Hallowed be thy name 3. Of a loving Spouse desiring the sweet presence embraces and enjoyment of her beloved Bridegroom Thy Kingdom come 4. Of a dutifull Son conforming himself absolutely to his Fathers sacred will and pleasure Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven 5. Of a needy Beggar asking an Almes at the dore of the Divin Mercy Give us this day our daily bread 6. Of a guilty Prisoner deeply indebted ready to be condemned and petitioning for pardon and remission And forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that Trespass against us 7. Of a Blind and weak Traveller imploring light and strength that he erre not fall not faint not in his journey And lead us not into temptation 8. Of a soul Weary of all things which hinder her desired perfection and craving to be freed from them But deliver us from evill A larger Explication of our Lords Prayer It contains a Preface and seven Petitions THE PREFACE Our Father which art in Heaven THese words put us in mind at the beginning of our prayers of the severall parts of our duty 1. Our being a form of plurall signification declares that we are to draw into the communication of our devotions all such as are confederated with us in the common relation of sons to the same Father 2. Father If God be our Father we surely owe unto him a filiall Love Fear Reverence Obedience For if we are Refractory Irreligious Rebellious how can we presume to call him Fatheâ— But if we are dutifull children pliable to Will and obed ent to his precepts we may confidently expect from him childrens portions and inheritances 3. Which art in Heaven This tells us where our Treasure is and consequently where our hopes and hearts should be fixed and whither all our desires petitions affections are to be directed 4. In Heaven We are Prodigall children and therefore sigh after our Parents house We are poor Pilgrims and therefore stear our course towards our happy Countrey We are wretched Exiles and therefore yearn after our heavenly home The first Petition Hallowed be thy Name 1. Whereby we desire to forget and forgo our selves and all things whatsoever to promote and procure the honour and glorie of our loving Father 2. We desire that his holy Name his divin Essence his glorious Attributes may be honoured by all creatures Believed by Faith loved by Charity and celebrated with continuall prayses throughout the whol Universe 3. It is a direct and formall Act of Adoration For Gods Name being the Representative of God himself we here Petition that he may be truly honored worshipped adored by all in all above all 4. It is also an Act of Thanksgiving for all our received Benefits and Blessings and a returning of all that we have are and can to God as to their Origin and Fountain to whose only Goodness we ascribe all that is Good in us and in all creatures The second Petition Thy Kingdom come 1. Whereby we desire that God may reign by his grace and Justice in us in his Church in the hearts of all men and every where subdue all his Enemyes 2. We desire that he will be pleas'd to exercise his absolute Dominion in our spirits and fully rule in all our faculties in our understanding by Faith in our wills by Charity in our Memories by Hope in our members by Mortification in our whol Interiour and exteriour Man by totally possessing all entirely Commanding all and being truly All in all 3. We desire that his spirituall Kingdom to wit the propagation of his faith and Gospell and the perfection of Souls may yet make more and more progress in he world Extending that where it is not and Intending this where it is And that his Kingdom may not only be amongst us in Name and Form but in Effect in efficacie in Power 4. We lastly desire not only his Kingdom of Grace in this world but also of Glory in the next The third Petition Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven 1. Whereby we desire the sweet presence and fruition of our beloved Lord in our Souls and beg for a prefect union and conformity to his blessed will 2. We desire that the dispensation of his divin Providence may be the absolutely directing Guide of the whol world and the entire measure of all our wills and wishes 3. We desire that in all our prayses and proceedings we may be evermore pliable to his holy will pleasure Resigned in all accidents Patient in all sufferings unchangeable in al good purposes submissive upon all occasions and that we may perform all our duties of devotion obedience perfection cheerfully promptly perseverantly 4. We finally desire that as the holy Angells and Saints in heaven serve our dread Soveraign with perfect Harmony unity tranquillity agreeing all together sweetly lovingly peaceably to prayse and glorify his divin Majesty so all our hearts and Soul's here upon Earth cancelling all crooked and sinister intentions may live and love together in an Angelicall Conformity and jointly please and prayse our Soveraign Creatour with a Saint-like Peace purity and Charity fervently incessantly Eternally The fourth Petition Give us this day our daily Bread Whereby acknowledging our own Poverty necessity indigency we humbly crave an almes from him who is the Author and Fountain of all Mercy First we beg the Bread of Pilgrims for the support of our lives and for the supply of our bodyes necessities that is a daily Portion of all such things as we daily want we are prohibited to be solicitous for to morrow and therefore we petition only for the present We must not be covetous to
evermore 4. Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Efficacious Purpose and Resolution of self-deniall I Desire no longer O Eternall Father to follow my irregular appetites and to march under the Banner of my own will and opinion which are the fountains of all my defects disloyalties transgressions No Lord For your love I utterly renounce them with all possible horrour and hatred All my will and wish is that your sacred will may be accomplish'd in me upon Earth in Heaven in all things whatsoever purely perfectly eternally for all your Ordinances are full of Justice and Equity I adore them all I embrace them all I submit to them all Thrice happy those souls which are truly conformable to you which incessantly contemplate you which unweariedly follow you which faithfully serve you and perpetually prayse you 5. Give us this day our daily Bread Petition for a supply of our Necessities IT is the property of Children oppressed with hunger to address themselv's to their Parents with tears and cry's to move them to compassion Behold here your poor Child O loving and liberall Lord God! extreamely labouring with spirituall thirst and hunger exceedingly wearied in the worlds service you are my Father my Feeder my daily Bread And it is you only who are capable to satisfy my hunger quench my thirst comfort me in this my calamitous condition All Creatures are but small Crums falling from your Royall table O how sweet and savory is the Bread of teares and the Water of contrition to a truly Penitent Contrite Converted Soul Your sugred words O Lord and your celestiall inspirations are her most delicious sawce and the participation of your most precious Body and Blood her daily Bread O my God Let not the affection to temporall objects deprive me of spirituall comforts nor let any earthly solicitudes and greediness after worldly goods choak up the memory and gust of those better goods you have promis'd and prepar'd for me in Heaven But let my daily Exercise be to sanctify your holy Name Let the interiour feeling of your Kingdom of Love in my soul be my only pleasure palace and Paradise and let the accomplishment of your sacred Will be my daily Bread and sustenance during the space of this my Pilgrimage But alas 6. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us Reflection upon our Impieties and Supplication for pardon WHen I consider O Father of Infinit Clemency not only my life past but even my present condition not only all my enormous and innumerable offences but even my daily and hourly imperfections negligences iniquities to wit 1. My Time still lost either in doing Evill or in doing nothing or in doing things impertinent 2. My lingring and voluntary complacencies in thought against Charity Chastity Humility 3. My continued Resistency contristation hinderance of your holy spirit in my self or others 4. My Irreverence Indevotion Tepiditie in my prayers recollections spirituall Exercises 5. My Excesses of Tongue Eyes Ears and all my senses as well in respect of your divin Majestie as my neighbour and my self When I say I seriously reflect upon these and the rest of my manifold transgressions I find my self so deeply indebted that I should undoubtedly turn Bankrupt did not your fatherly goodness and my deer Redeemers boundless mercy and merits give me hope comfort and encouragement For O my God! In what large sum do I stand ingaged to your sacred Justice 1. I owe thanks for so many signall Benefits 2. I owe Contrition for so many committed Crimes 3. I owe love for love my life for your Sons death my whol self for your self given and regiven so frequently unto me And yet insensible wretch that I am I pay none of these just debts but daily increase my obligations by my daily Ingratitude VVhat other course then can I now take but humbly to cry out Dimitte mihi Pardon your prodigall Child O compassionate Father for the love of your dear Son Christ Jesus He is my surety and he hath satisfied for my debts even according to the severe rigour of your divin Justice whose least drop of blood is abundantly sufficient to expiate the whol worlds impieties If therefore my own guilt shuts up my mouth and your Mercy gate yet his sacred blood will be my Key to open both the one and the other Pardon me then O my pious Father for your Crucified Jesu's sake as I for the love of him do most freely heartily and sincerely pardon all them who have injur'd wrong'd and offended me in any thing whatsoever 7. And lead us not into temptation Recourse to the divin Protection I Am day and night O most Powerfull Father and Protector assaulted with an infinit number of Enemyes which incessantly seek my utter ruin and destruction The flesh charmes me the world enchants me the Devill cheats me and every thing becomes an object of Temptation unto me Ah! How shall poor I conquer such powerfull champions I find no other means than to make my addresses to you My all-powerfull Father and humbly to shelter my self under the wings of your paternall Protection For Alas such is my frailty that I shall surely fall without the support of your Grace being faln I shall be unable to rise without the help of your strength being raysed up I cannot hope to persevere without the continuall influence of your assistance Shield me then under your sacred wings Protect me as the Apple of your eye command your Angell of light to preserve me from the darkness of Sin from the dangers of my Adversaries from the dismall sleep of sudden and unprovided death from all that is any way displeasing to your divin will and liking 8. But deliver us from evill Aspirations to perfection fruition union WHen O Father of Glory shall I be freed from sin from Sathans from my self from all that hinders the coming of your Kingdom O Kingdom of Peace Kingdom of love Kingdom of all desirable felicity There it is O Father that I shall sanctify your Name that I shall perform your will purely perfectly eternally There I shall no longer beg of you my daily Bread but remain abundantly satiated with the sight of your blessed face and the fruition of your beatifying glory There my Debts will be all payd my sins pardoned my soul glorified There will be neither Temptation nor Tribulation neither occasion of sin nor punishment of sin but all tranquillity all conformity all perfection There lives thy loving Father O my Soul There is thy home and Countrey there lyes thy portion and patrimony O Jerusalem my dear Countrey my delicious Kingdom my desired Inheritance when shall I possesse thee O sweet Father when shall I sincerely love you O my poor Soul when shall I see thee free from stains and blemishes full of purity and perfection Let 's yield let 's yield to our good Father Let 's promptly submit to all his precepts and Ordinances Let 's serve
as is due to Gods sacred Mother I salute you admire you congratulate you O amiable Virgin-Mother Mary as the chief Instrument of our Redemption the prime Ornament of Paradise the singular Glory of human nature and the bright Star shining unto us by your exemplary Vertues and directing us by your powerfull assistance in this sea of miseries and place of Pilgrimage Full of Grace I salute you O most sacred pure and perfect Virgin-Mother as full of Grace from the first instant of your immaculate Conception full of Sanctity during the whol course of your unspotted life upon Earth full of glory in the happy state of your Eternity in Heaven O most Powerfull and most Compassionate Virgin-Mother out of this your plenitude of grace vertue sanctity and perfection impart what you see wanting to my poor needy and naked Soul Our Lord is with thee Our Lord God was is and will be evermore with you O Virgin-Mother and you are and allwayes shall be with him He was with you upon Earth in your womb in your arms at your breasts He is with you in Heaven by his beatifying presence he will be there still with you bestowing on you a continued Eternity of glory O most unspotted Temple of the sacred Trinity by this your perpetuall and perfect union with the Divinity obtain for me that I may pass on this my Pilgrimage in the dayly exercise and reflection upon the divin presence to the end I may with you be perpetually united to him hereafter in his happy Paradise Blessed art thou amongst women O Mary the only Mother amongst all Virgins O Mary the only Virgin amongst all Mothers you conceiv'd without Sin brought forth without sorrow liv'd without blemish and after your death were translated to Eternall glory without the least touch of corruption therefore blessed are you above all women who were totally exempted from the common curses of all other women You bore him in your womb who bears up the whol World you infolded him in your arms who encompasses the spacious frame of the vast Universe you nourish'd him with your breast-milk who gives Being life food to all Creatures Finally you were are Gods Mother in which miraculous word is included all the privileges perfections which can posibly befall a creature and therefore you are justly styl'd and shall be so esteem'd by all succeeding generations the most blessed of all womankind O blessed Mary the Paragon of all Mothers the Crown of all Virgins the Joy of all the Saints the best and most accomplish'd of all Gods Creatures by these and all other your numberless Benedictions avert from me those maledictions which I have deserv'dly incurr'd by my enormous sins and transgressions And blessed is the fruit of thy Womb Jesus O Jesu the sacred fruit of Maryes virginall body be your Name and Majesty eternally blessed by all creatures in Heaven and upon Earth Blessed be your divin Person which you thus vouchsaf'd to unite unto a human body and soul for the Worlds Salvation Blessed be your Will which was thus inflam'd with the love of lost Mankind Blessed be your Memory which mercifully reflected upon us miserable and caitiff creatures Blessed be your Understanding your Wisdom your Power your Providence and all your ineffable Attributes which found out such an efficacious way to win us to your self and wed us to your sweet affection and friendship O Amiable Jesu the Ornament of the Universe the Beauty of Heaven the Glory of Mankind Be you blessed in each member part and particle of your most pure immaculate virginall Body which you expos'd to such cruell torments for our Redemption By these and all other the infinit blessings which are in you and belong to you sweet Jesu bestow on me the blessing of your grace in this my lives Pilgrimage and of your glory in your Eternall Paradise Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death O blessed Mother of blessed Jesus despise not them for whom the dear Son of your womb disdain'd not to dy upon the Cross but in your tender pity and compassion succour the miserable encourage the weaklings comfort the afflicted and let all such feel the happy effects of your helping assistance as have recourse to your powerfull Prayers and Patronage We beseech you O gracious Mother by all the greatnesses which God hath given you by the glorious Name of Mary and Title of Gods Mother wherewith he hath honoured you by the singular love he bore you upon Earth and the supereminent glory wherewith he hath Crown'd you Queen of Heaven Pray now for us that we may pass on the short remainder of our lives Pilgrimage in his grace and favour and when Death shall summon us to depart out of this miserable World Then O then most charitable Mother chiefly assist encourage and strengthen us your poor children and conduct our Souls to the happy mansions which your divin Son our dear Redeemer hath before all time prepar'd for them in his Heavenly Kingdom wherewith you O most glorious Queen-Mother they shall see him enjoy him and be united to him for all Eternitie If we would thus devoutly reflect sometimes upon these or the like mysticall senses and rayse up our Souls to such like affections when we recite these divin forms of Prayer we should probably reap more Spirituall profit by their frequent repetition But we therefore take little or no gust in these and our other pious Exercises and make small progress in perfection because we commonly content our selvs with the bark and bare out-side of the words and seldom or never penetrate into their inward marrow sense and meaning §. 5. The manner how to recite the Rosary 1. IN the first place you are to settle your self reverently in the divin presence and seriously recollecting your senses to cast of all evagations of mind and extraversions which is the generall preparation to all Prayer 2ly To the end your understanding and will both which concur in all well-order'd Prayer and Meditation may be profitably employ'd you may please to remember these two Rules which were before intimated in the first book of this present Treatise § 8. The First Rule which concerns the action of your understanding is To represent before the Eyes of your Soul that mysterie whereon you are to meditate as even then acted in your presence As for Example The mysterie whereupon you intend to make your meditation is The Nativity of our Saviour Imagin your self standing in a privat corner of the poor Bethleem Stable beholding hearing and admiring all that there passed in that sacred night run over in your mind the condition of the place and the circumstances of the Persons and think what were their thoughts affections words actions above all consider who it was that appeared to the World in this mean equipage to wit the Son of God the King of Glory the Monark of the whol Universe
thought proceeds that it would much redound to the honour of Christ our Lord and Saviour and conduce to the encrease of devotion in the hearts of all pious Christians If as according to the very ancient institution and generally receiv'd custom severall godly people use to recite sixty three Angelicall Salutations with our Lords Prayer seven times interpos'd in honour of the most blessed Virgin Mary according to the number of years which she is esteem'd to have liv'd upon earth which kind of prayer is call'd the Virgins Crown so they would also inure themselv's to recite thirty three Lords Prayers interposing four Angâ—lical Salutations in the honour of our Redeemer for a commemoration of the years in which he convers'd upon earth amongst men which would be as it were our Lords Crown c. We whom it behoves to promote the honour of our Lord Jesus Christ as farr forth as he shall enable us and to add fewell to the devotion of his faithfull flock Do approve and confirm the aforesaid manner of Prayer invented by that ancient and recluded Hermit and will have it call'd the Crown of our Lord c. Given at Florence the 18 of Feb. in the year 1516. The same Rosary or Crown of our Lord was afterwards confirm'd by Pope Gregory the 13. and endow'd with more and greater Indulgences vide Augustinum Florentinum Lucam Eremitam Bucelinum in Annalibus Benedictinis c. The Crown therefore consisting of 33. Pater Nosters or Lords Prayers consonant to the number of years in which our dear Redeemer convers'd with men in his human flesh upon earth to merit for us a happy Crown of Glory in Heaven and of four Ave Maries or Angelical Salutations with one Creed added for a conclusion is divided into four parts whereof the three first parts are Decades or Tens there being in each of them a ten-times-repeated Lords Prayer and one Angelical Salutation and in the fourth part there is only a Thrice-repeated Lords Prayer with one Angelical Salutation and the Creed and may be recited as it is here distinctly set down with an additionall point of Meditation upon some of the pious Mysteries of our Saviours life and a short Aspiration which may easily be dilated with more affections and resolutions according to each ones Spirit of devotion The first Part of the Crown of our Lord. Of Christs coming into the World 1. OUr dear Redeemer descended from his royall Throne from his eternall Fathers Bosom from his happy Heaven into this vale of misery and cloath'd himself with human flesh in the holy Virgins Womb. O Jesu how excessive is your Mercy how infinit your affection how stupendious your condescendency to undeserving man Ah! that my heart were perfectly free from all that displeases you that so it might deserve perpetually to harbour you Our Father 2. HE being conceiv'd inspir'd his sacred Virgin Mother to take a journey into the Mountains of Judea there to visit salute and serve St. Elizabeth her Kinswoman O Jesu that my soul were alwaies pliable docible obedient to correspond to your sweet and sacred impulses motions and aspirations how cheerfully should I then serve your soveraign Majesty and how charitably should I assist my necessitous neighbour Our Father 3. AFter he had been carryed nine months in his Mothers chast entralls he was born in a cold Stable wrap'd in poor raggs cradled in a hard Cribb O Jesu make me in love with poverty humility and mortification which you have made so amiable by practising them in your own divin person Our Father 4. THe Angells congratulate his happy birth with their heavenly Canticles and the shepheards humbly joyfully and admiringly adore him O Jesu let my tongue incessantly sing forth your Prayses let my heart perpetually breath forth acts of gratitude for your Mercies and let my soul sweetly melt away in her reciprocall affections Our Father 5. UPon the eighth day after his Nativity he was circumcis'd and call'd Jesus O Jesu O sacred and sugred Name O Jesu be unto me a Jesus O that my tongue heart and hands with all my senses powers and faculties of body and soul were truly circumcis'd from all superfluous curious vitious inclinations passions and affections that so I might never more think speak or act any thing offensive to your divin will and liking Our Father 6. HE was diligently sought out by the Eastern Sages humbly ador'd by them and highly honoured by their royall Presents and Oblations O Iesu let me never leave seeking till I find you the only belov'd Object of all my affections and strengthen me sweet Iesu to make a totall Oblation Consecration and Resignation of my whol self to your holy will and pleasure entirely irrevocably eternally Our Father 7. HE was carryed to the Temple in his sacred Mothers arms to be presented as her first-born to his eternall Father shewing himself in all things subject to the Law O Iesu shall not I humble my self and submit to all men for your sake Our Father 8. HE to avoid Herods cruelty sustain'd a tedious banishment in his tender years O Jesu give me patience in all my persecutions temptarions and troubles and let not my grievous sins banish me from your sweet grace and presence Our Father 9. HE return'd from Egypt after his seven years sufferings O Jesu let your efficacious grace recall me from vice to vertu let me return into you my first Origin and let me repose in you my only center and security Our Father 10. HE dwelt with his Parents in t he City Nazareth O Jesu dwell in my soul here by your grace that my soul may dwell with you hereafter in your eternal glory Our Father O Sacred Virgin-Mother who having conceiv'd your divin Son without sin and brought him forth without sorrow serv'd him so diligently during the time of his minority appease him I beseech you in my behalf by your powerfull Prayers and intercession Hail Mary The second Part. Of Christs Conversation amongst men 1. OUr dear Redeemer being twelve years old went up with his Parents to Jerusalem to perform his devotions where he was lost sought and after three day's found in the Temple O Jesu replenish my heart with solid devotion that sincerely seeeking you I may happily find you and having found you I may faithfully keep you company in my interiour for evermore Our Father 2. HE return'd with his Parents to Nazareth and was subject unto them O Iesu break my rebellious will that I may promptly obey you and my Superiors according to your most perfect trample Our Father 3. HE being thirty years old was baptiz'd by St. Iohn in the river Iordan O Iesu permit not my sinfull soul to pass forth of my body till it be baptiz'd in a river of tears and restor'd to purity by the Sacrament of Penance Our Father 4. HE fasted forty dayes and nights in the Desert and was tempted by the Devill O Iesu give me courage to subdue all
proper vertu and Power O Father O Son O Mother How great and glorious things ought to be spoken and thought of you The two Divin and Eternall Persons the Father and Son are divinly link'd together and for their link in their Eternity they have a divin Person to wit the Holy Ghost equally proceeding from them both in whose unity they are both Eternally joyn'd together And these two sacred Persons the Father who is in Heaven and the Mother who is upon Earth are also holily link'd together and have in like sort for the Tye of their sacred union a divin Person to wit One self-same only Son who proceeds from them both and who between them both is this indissoluble band whereby they are for an Eternity conjoyn'd together O union which hath Jesus for its Tye Jesus I say who is the Center if the Created and Increated Being Jesus in whom is holily and happily terminated the union of two natures the one human the other divin which establisheth the mystery of the Incarnation and the uniting of two Persons the one likewise divin the other human which also establisheth the Divin Maternity wherein the sacred Virgin is united to the Father by the production of Jesus wherein she is link'd to him with so neer a union so powerfull a union and so fertill a union that it hath not its like in the large extent of all created things O let 's be the Fathers let 's be the Sons let 's be the Mothers And let 's honour the Father and the Son in this Mother who is so nearly joyn'd unto them both and who in her Estate hath so close an alliance with the Father that she conceives his Son and brings forth so worthy a fruit so powerfull an effect so lively an Image of the Divine Paternity 9. The Eternall Word who is in Society with the Father and Holy Ghost before all time doth in time enter League and Society with the Virgin AND you O Eternall Word who being her God will also become her Son What shall I say what shall I do in honour of the Son and of the Mother You are in unity and in Society with the Father who produceth you and with the Holy Ghost whom you produce and yet you will besides these two divin and co-eternall Persons enter into so inward and honorable a band union and Society with a third Person with a human Person with a temporall Person you will be the Virgins Son as you are the Son of God and you will have her for Mother as you have God for Father And by your Power and Goodness you make her the worthy Mother of God by your humility you render Obedience to her and become subject to her during your life upon Earth and trowning your own handy-works by your love and wisdom you in Heaven confer upon her such glory as corresponds to this her sacred dignity and authority Be you eternally bless'd and prays'd O great God I will for ever Reverence both the Son and the Mother I will Reverence the Mother by reason of the Son and the Son in the Mother I will Reverence all that which the Virgin is to her Son and to her God and all that which her Son God is to her And I will honour all the mutual connexions which are unknown and ineffable between the Son of God and the sacred Virgin as secrets of which the Earth must remain ignorant and which are reserv'd to the glory to the love and to the light of Heaven 10. Oblation and Donation to the Son and to the Mother in quality of Bond-slave IN the sight and at the thought of these so great so high so holy things I offer up and submit my self I vow and dedicate my self to Christ Jesus my Lord and my Saviour in the state of perpetuall Servitude and also to his holy Mother the sacred Virgin Mary To the Eternall honour both of Mother and of Son I will be henceforth in the quality and condition of slavery in regard of her who is in the state and quality of the Mother of my God therby to honour more humbly and more holily this her so high and so divin qualâ—ty and condition And I bequeath my self to her as a perpetuall Bond-slave in the honour of that Donation which the â—…ernall word made to her of himself in quality of a Son by the mysterie of the Incarnation which he accomplish'd in her and by her 11. Enlargment and Explication of this Donation with the particulars thereof Renounce all my own power and liberty of disposing of my self and my actions yeilding up this power to the sacred Virgin and dismissing my self entirely into her hands in homage to her greatness in honour of that perfect demission which she made of her self to her Son Jesus I give to her that power which God gives me over my self to be hers and no longer my own to be in her power and tuition and no more in my own In honour of the power which Gods Son gave her over himself and of the humble dependency and subjection he was pleas'd to yeild unto her delivering up himself to her custody direction and tutelage during the whol time of this Infancy and child-hood I bequeath to her my Being and my Living during the whol remainder of my Pilgrimage upon Earth with all the conditions circumstances and appurtenances which accompany the same I yeild up all to her greatness as much as I can and dedicate all to her honour and glory for the fulfilling of all her wills and powers over me In this ardour of spirit and to this intention I humbly address my self to you O sacred Virgin and I make here unto you an entire absolute and irrevocable Oblation of all that I am by Gods mercy in the Being and in the order of Nature and Grace of all that thereon depends and of all the actions I shall ever perform For my will is that whatsoever is mine be absolutely yours and that the power and the grace which is bestow'd on me be employ'd in referring my self wholy with all that is in me to your honour And I here make choyce of you O holy Virgin and I will henceforth look upon you as the only object whereunto next after your Son and under your Son I shall make the reference of my soul and of my life both interiour and exteriour and generally of all that any way belongs unto me 12. This Oblation tends to the honour of the Virgins Elevation and Depression in the Mysterie of the Incarnation WHilst I am in these contemplations of you O holy Virgin I find that even in the day of your Greatness you humble your self even to the very center of nothing rendring your self then our lords servant when you are declared his Mother Wherfore I honour in you these two motions and these two different qualities I honour this Humiliation and this Exaltation both together I honour both your Servitude and also
and obtain for me a happy death and departure out of this World in the Faith Favour and Affection of Jesus To whom be all honour prayse and glory for Evermore Amen ELEVATIONS TO THE SACRED TRINITY UPON EARTH Iesus Maria Ioseph In honour and homage to the Glorious Trinity in Heaven the Father Son and Holy Ghost O JESU Son of the living God and Saviour of the World O Mary Mother of Jesus and Mediatrix of Mankind O Joseph Bridegroom of Mary and esteemed Father of Jesus O sacred Trinity Jesus Maria Joseph I honour you reverence you admire you in your excellent eminent sublime Greatnesses in which you seem to be an express Image of the Incomprehensible Trinity and I adhere to you in union of the perfect homages which you rendred to the Father Son and holy Ghost by your high Estate and holy operations The deep Mystery of the divin Trinity is Invisible to our eyes Ineffable to our Tongues Incomprehensible to our Spirits And behold the poor Bethleem stable affoards us a human Trinity Jesus Maria Joseph uppon Earth which views adores and Imitates the Trinity of the Empireall Heaven the Father Son and Holy Ghost This is Increated that is both created and Increated in the Person of the God-Man Jesus This is divin and Eternall That is Deifi'd and temporall The one is Adorable the other honorable The one is admirable in its greatness The other amiable in its sweetness In the one is a unity of Essence in a Trinity of Persons In the other is a union of Love of Grace and of Spirit in a Trinity of Essence and of Persons In the Divin Trinity the Father begets his Son in Eternity In the other by a reverted order the Son gives Being in Time both to the Father and to the Mother In the first the Father and the Son and the Father by the Son produces the holy Ghost in unity of origin In the second Jesus and Mary and Jesus by Mary gives the Life and Being of Grace to Joseph in the unitie of spirit So that Mary hath an admirable resemblance to the Eternall Father the Son of Mary hath an express unity with himself and S. Joseph represents the Holy Ghost For the Father in Heaven is the only Parent without a Mother and Mary upon Earth is the only Parent without a Father And as nothing greater can be attributed to God than his being the Father of a God so nothing more sublime can befall a pure creature than to be the Mother of the same God whereof God is Father The Holy Ghost is the sacred knot and Tye of the divin Persons And Joseph hath a union with Mary as his Spouse and with Jesus as his Father The Holy Ghost form'd Jesus in the Virginall Cloyster of Maryes Womb And Joseph fed him educated him and preserv'd for us far more fortunately than the ancient Joseph of Egypt â— this Bread of the Elect this blessed pledg of our future happiness this Eternall Bliss of Men and Angells Wherfore O Jesu We acknowledg honour and adore you in your Eternall heights and greatnesses we prayse bless and love you in your temporall humiliations sweetnesses we contemplate you in Heaven with the Eye of Faith betwen the Father and the holy Ghost We admire you upon Earth between Mary and Joseph And I invite and conjure all Creatures to prayse bless and adore your divin Majesty in both these estates O Mary We also look upon you as upon Gods sacred Mother and in this supream dignity I salute reverence and honour you with the singular homage of Hyperdulia which is due to your Excellencies and Greatnesses O Joseph I likewise honour you as the reputed Father of Jesus and Bridegroom of Mary and in regard of these two Eminent qualities I subject my self to the power which is given you over my soul by consequence of the Jurisdiction you had over Jesus my Saviour I offer my self to you O Great Saint Joseph Father and Husband without Paragon to be by you presented to Mary I give my self to you O glorious Mary Virgin and Mother without Paralell to be by you addressed to Jesus I consecrat my self to you O Great-little-God-man Jesus as your servant and bondslave to become associated in this qualitie with the domestiques of your sacred Family O Jesu my King reign in my Soul and exercise the absolute power you have over my spirit O Mary my Soveraign Queen after my King Jesus possess my heart and my will to consign them over to your Son O Joseph My chief Prorector after Jesus and Mary take my Body and senses into your safe custody to be consecrated to Jesus O Jesu annihilate and absorp my soul in your affection O Mary Inflame my heart with the love of Jesus O Joseph Bless all my labours and endeavours and present them to Jesus and Mary Let the whol world be replenish'd O Jesu with your mercies be assisted O Mary with your favours be secured O Joseph under the shadow of your Protection For You O JESU are the Fountain issuing forth of the Terrestriall Paradise Mary's Virginall Womb is the Origin of all our happiness you O Mary are the Prime Bason of this Fountain and the pure Glebe from whence it proceeded And you O Joseph are the River who disperse abroad these waters of Life by your efficacious intercessions O Jesu you are the fruit of life O Mary you are the Paradise that bore it and the Tree that brought it forth And you O Joseph are the Cherubin appointed by God to guard it O Jesu You are the sacred Propitiatory of the world O Mary You are the Mysticall Ark of our Reconciliation And you O Joseph are the High Priest who alone are permitted to enter into this Holy of Holies to be the faithfull Coadjutor of Gods great Counsell in the world and the Feoffee in trust of his treasures and secrets In honour therefore of these three ineffable Tâ—es and unions between these admirable subjects which are the greatest under Gods command and Jurisdiction I most humbly beg of you O Jesu Mary and Joseph 1. A chast and filiall Fear of God that nothing either in life or death may separate me from his grace and friendship 2. A faithfull fervent and perseverant Love of God and my neighbour with a generous zeal of the divin honour and my own salvation 3. A good and happy end of my life consummated in the act and exercise of these sacred affections O JESU Be an Advocate for me your Bondslave to your Eternall Father O Mary intercede for me your servant to your Son O Joseph pray for me your child to Jesus and Mary O Jesu shew your wounds suffer'd for my sake O Mary discover your Breasts which suckled Gods Son O Joseph represent your hands which nourish'd the Word Incarnate O Jesu replenish my Soul with the abundance of your celestiall blessings by the effusion of efficacious grace upon it which may intimately
one lives no other scite of body than that in which devotion find's us whether it be standing sitting lying walking or kneeling 5. An Institute of that infinite spirituall profit that it is impossible to be expressed whereof I shall instance onely these few particulars 1. In respect of the speciall Patronage and protection of the Blessed Virgin for though she is a carefull Mother of all faithfull Christians yet surely she is more tenderly solicitous for the domestiques of her familie more heedfully diligent for the advancement of her devoted servants more seriously studious for the good of her dutifull children 2. In respect of the Community of Merits amongst the members of this sacred Society For it is a point of our Religion an Article of our Faith an infallible Maxime amongst our Divins that the merits of all the Saints are common to all faithfull Christians that there is a communication between the Church Militant upon Earth the Church suffering in Purgatory and the Church Triumphant in Heaven yes there is such a connexion amongst all Gods Children such an association of all the Churches members which make up one spirituall body under their sacred head CHRIST JESUS that the least of them all supposing he is capable of merit and in good state whereof grace is the root and foundation hath a title and may claim a share in all the spirituall goods and consequently in all the treasures of merits and good works heaped up from the Worlds first Origin to this present and which shall be laid up in the Churches Store-House till the Worlds Consummation Our Creed teacheth us this truth wherein we profess to believe the Communion of Saints that is we acknowledge a communication of merits between them who are happily lodged in Heaven and them who living upon Earth and lying in Purgatory hope to follow after We believe that whatsoever the greatest Saints have done merited obtained what the ancient Patriarks by propagating Gods honour putting down idolatry what the Prophets by preaching Gods Judgments proclaiming open Warr against all impiety what the glorious Apostles by planting the Faith publishing the Gospel converting the World what the invincible Martyrs by their endured torments persecutions deaths what the holy Confessors by the couragious carriage of their crosses chastisements of their flesh mortifications of their sensuality what the good Hermits Anchorites Monks in their Solitudes Cells and Cloysters what the learned zealous eloquent Doctors by their writings preachings teachings what the chast Virgins and Widows by the inviolable preservation of their purity Finally whatsoever the pious people in their secular calling or any persons under each Pole of the World and in the four corners of the Vniverse have profited in good works in godly actions in vertuous exercises all this is communicable to each one of the Catholique Churches members all is to them proportionably imparted and distributed I am partaker sings joyfully the Royall Psalmist with all them who fear you and faithfully follow your Laws and Ordinances All such as live Christianly carefully devoutly all such as practise works of piety make progress in vertue march up the degrees of perfection and sanctity labour for me profit me lay up treasures for me we are all fellow members under one head we all make up one common purse amongst us we all aim at the same end of Gods honour and glory and our own eternall felicity Now besides this generall communication of spirituall goods and merits amongst all faithfull Christians the stock whereof is in the Churches hands and store-house there is another bank in the bodyes of Confraternities common to them alone who are of that particular familie and communitie and from whence all the influences of graces and blessings which Heaven imparts to this whol body inflow into each one of its members And to instance this also in some particulars First what an immense profit is it to have a part in all the zealous prayers meditations acts of charity and exercises of Vertu and Piety performed in a whol Confraternity All which entring into common and making one only deposiâ—um redound to each particular members spiritual profit and advantage So that when any one of us offers up his prayers to the Throne of mercy he pray's as it were by as many mouths as there are brethren and sisters in our whol Confraternity And what an incredible force judg yee devout Rosarists must this needs add to our petitions How can a just demand presented by so many pious Souls sent up to Heaven by so many humble hearts pronounced by so many devout tongues suffer a repulse If our Creator though most highly incensed and irritated by the wicked and malicious Sodomites yet mercifully promised to pardon all their enormous impieties might there have been found amongst them only ten just Men to joyn in prayer with holy Abraham for their delivery May we not without presumption perswade our selves that the prayers of so many good Souls whereof this Sacred Confraternitie is composed may have great power to move our Maker when he is justly angry with us for our offences ingratitude disloyalty to pitty and pardon us and to reverse the sentence of our deserved punishment and condemnation Surely united forces you know are far more prevalent than when divided many Torches give a greater luster many fires affoard a fiercer heat many men remove a heavier weight and in all cases whatsoever that which one alone is unable to attain uncapable to effect unworthy to deserve a multitude conspiring together in the same end and intention may hope to atchieve and compass Secondly what an inestimable profit is it to have a share of merit in so many divin Sacrifices of the Masse celebrated yearly monthly weekly daily to Gods glory to his Mothers honour to his Saints prayses to the Solace of the living to the Succour of the dead both at this sacred and priviledg'd Altar of our blessed Mother of Power And wheresoever throughout the World this Arch-Confraternitie of the Rosary is erected and established If one only Masse the lively representation of what passed upon Mount-Calvary the highest act of Religion the authenticall memoriall of the great sacrifice of the Cross is capable says our Venerable Father Bede to add glory to God joy to the Angels and Saints grace to the just pardon to Sinners comfort to the living help to the Souls in Purgatory what good what grace what advantage may you here expect where so many Masses are daily celebrated for the forenamed intentions whereof each member participates Thirdly what a vast treasure of Indulgences Pardons Jubilies given and granted by the prime Pastours of the Church the generall dispencers of divin blessings the universall Stewards of celestiall riches are annexed to this our holy Confraternity Indulgences which no Catholique can deny or doubt of Indulgences so ample as no Society ever had larger So many as meerly to mention them would take up another hours time and tire out your
Church qualify you with this Title Eia ergo Advocata nostra c. O therefore you our Advocate Turn those your eyes of pitty sweet Upon our miserable state Thus prostrate here before your feet For as the learned Cassian confirms all our affairs of highest importance are in your holy hands and the salvation of all mankind consists in the multitude of Queen Mary's graces and favours We may therefore well hope for a happy issue since we have an Advocate says her devout St. Bernard adorn'd with all the conditions which are requisit and likely to carry the cause which are three First to have credit at Court Power wih the Prince and the Judges ear at command Secondly to be knowing in the cause and capable of the undertaken charge Thirdly to be sedulous and faithfull in the prosequution thereof 1. Now to express our Queen-Mothers credit in the Court of Heaven and her power with her Son exceeds all human and Angelicall capacity Let it suffice to say she is his Mother and therefore makes to him her addresses if I may speak it after our learned Saint Peter Damian Non solum rogans sed imperans Domina non Ancilla Not onely intreating but commanding as a Mistris not a handmaid And St. Gregory of Nicomedia styles her all Powerfull in her place of pleading the causes of sinners as being the Mother of the Supreme Judge For which reason holy Church frequently minds her of her Motherhood and supplicates that she will be pleas'd to shew that great authority wherewith this Title of Titles impowers her Monstra te esse Matrem Sumat per te preces Qui pro nobis Natus Tulit esse tuus Do like a mother bear Our prayers up to his ear Who for us born put on The Title of thy Son 2. Nor is she defective in the second quality requir'd in a good Advocate for surely she is abundantly capable to undertake this charitable charge as well knowing our calamitous condition As Power is not wanting in Mary says St. Bernard because she is the Judges Mother so neither is there any want of sufficiency to plead because she is the Mother of wisdom nor of good will to impetrat and obtain the cause for she is the Mother of mercy 3. Nor is there any cause to question the third condition which is a faithfull performance of this charge For how can it be conceiv'd she should be careless in a matter which is to us of such importance being so full of Clemency Charity Compassion How affectionately and effectually will she perform this pious Office who is also our tender and loving Mother How shall she endure an ill understanding between Us and the Judge our Brother and not rather seek by all possible means to settle a fraternall Peace to make a friendly Attonement to work a perfect Reconciliation between Us O blessed Virgin exclaims the same St. Bernard you are Mother both of the Prince and of the banished Person of the Judge and of the Criminall of God and of Man being therefore Mother to them both you may not endure to see any discord continue between them both The fifth is That she procures for them a happy departure out of this world the salvation of their souls and the enjoyment of eternall Felicity What more can you expect O devout Children and Servants of Mary than to dy well and become eternally happy which is the end of your Creation and the Crown of all your endeavours And surely it is the generally deliver'd opinion of all the Doctors that it is impossible for any one who dy's a faithfull servant of the sacred Virgin to perish eternally And they give the reason because it is not possible they should dy impenitent who have the Faith to call heartily upon her whose powerfull Prayers will obtain for them a disposition to grace and a contrition for their offences This is frequently asserted by Saint Bernard as hath been before alleadged And by St. Anselm in these words You O compassionate Mary embrace the poor sinner with a Motherly affection and you never leave him till your Son appeased by your prayers gives him his pardon and receives him into his favour and friendship And elsewhere O Beatissima says St. Anselm sicut omnis a to aversus a te despectus necesse est ut intereat It a omnis ad te conversus a te respectus impossibile est ut pereat O most blessed Mary as he must needs perish who turns his back to you and whom you reject from your favour so it is impossible he should perish who is zealous of your honour and whom you vouchsafe to behold and countenance And Theophilus I know says he O soveraign Lady that you have too great care of sinners to quit them in their greatest necessity And Origen I hold says he as an assured verity that the Virgin Mary will never abandon that person who implores her assistance in the time of his necessity for she is full of goodness full of mercy full of grace and therefore cannot refuse her compassion to him that calls upon her We conclude with this sentence of the glorious Martyr St. Ignatius you O blessed Mary are the sacred Mother of the soveraign Deity the true Mother of the worlds Saviour the adopted Mother of the poor Sinner receive me now into the bosome of your Maternall mercy and compassion §. 2. That the practise of the sacred Rosary is a Devotion very pleasing to the Divin Majesty profitable to our selves and gratefull to the Blessed Virgin THis precedent Foundation being solidly setled in our hearts to wit that a singular devotion towards the sacred Virgin is so beneficiall unto us as hath been briefly declared and abundantly proved by the express testimonies of so many of our pious Fathers and Predecessors to which many more might have been added as many be seen at large in Jodocus Coccius in the Volume of the sacred Virgins Triple Crown and in the severall Authors upon this subject It now behoves us to choose out amongst the many wayes of honouring and serving Gods blessed Mother that particular sort of devotion which may probably be most pleasing to God profitable to our selves and gratefull to the most pure and Immaculate Virgin And this without the least thought of undervaluing any ones judgement or derogating from the severall manners of honouring her who can never be sufficiently honoured by any human industry and invention we conceive to be the devout practice of the sacred Rosary For if we seriously consider its Extent its Antiquity its Generality its Facility its large Community of Merits its vast Treasures of Indulgences and the like prerogatives which are compendiously enumerated in the foregoing Oration we shall find it far exceeds all other sorts of devotion of this nature whatsoever And surely that manner of Prayer cannot but be very pleasing to our Soveraign Lord and Maker profitable to our selves and gratefull to the blessed Virgin
bound in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven Whereupon St. Cyprian St. Ambrose and St. Augustin Three very sufficient Doctors to ground an opinion conclude That by this generall tearm Quodcunque whatsoever We are absolutely prohibited to put in any exception and expresly oblig'd to believe That whatsoever whether offence or punishment St. Peter and consequently his successors the Popes shall unbind upon Earth shall be unbound also in Heaven And this large power must of necesty belong to the Keys says the Councill of Lateran since they are expresly given to take away all obstacles which may hinder our entrance into Heaven As therefore there is a double hinderance the Fault and the Pain so the Keys must be capable to open both these dores to make them compleat and perfect From all which may be gathered this brief definition of an Indulgence That It is a gift a Relaxation an Acquittance of the temporall pain due to the Divin Justice for the sins already pardon'd by Confession And this Relaxation is twofold Generall when the Indulgence is Plenarie which quits us from all the pain due to our sins And Restrain'd when the Indulgence imports only some certain number of Day 's Quarantins and year 's of Pardon When therefore you find in the Popes concessions an Indulgence of so many days Quarantins or years you are to understand it of the days and years of this world and not of Purgatory As for example He that gains an Indulgence of an Hundred years satisfies the divin Justice as much as if for an hundred years space he had done severe Penance So likewise a Quarantin is as much as if he had Fasted a whol Lent according to the custom and so of the rest Where you must take notice That for every mortall sin the sacred Canons ordain seven years Penance so that for 14. or 15. Mortall crimes he who hath committed them should in rigour undergo an hundred years penance which is above the age and ability of human nature Whereby appears the great profit of Indulgences to solace our weakness and shorten our pains whch must surely otherwise be payd to the divin Justice either by severe Penance in this world on by more severe punishments in the next though not necessarily long since they may be intensively so rigorous that one day there may be in quantity and quality of punishments more than seven years Penance of this World But you may ask what means a plenary and a Quarantin or a plenary and Ten yearts granted together Rodriguez answers That it is to satisfie such pains as are due to veniall sins of which pains we are not acquitted by the plenary Others as Valentia and Corduba say better That they are added ad cautelam for more security That so if by reason of some defect we gaâ—n not the greater Indulgence we may at least obtain the lesser §. 12. Three necessar I Advertisements for the gaining of Indulgences BUT here the devout Rosarists are to take three Advices The first is That Indulgences are not indifferently obtain'd by all sorts of persons but by such only as have duly and diligently purified prepar'd and dispos'd their souls to receive them by precedent Penance Or have led their lives in such Innocencie since their last confession as that they continue in the state of Grace Or have made an Act of Contrition and detestation of their mortall sins with purpose of confessing them in fit time and avoyding them for the future The second is That they must obey such other particular commands as the Bulls of Indulgences import That is They must punctually perform the enjoyn'd Actions of Almes-deeds Fastings Prayers Processions visitations of Altars and all other the works of devotion and piety there expressed The third is That they must offer up their devotions for these generally recommended ends and intentions in all the concessions of Indulgences 1. For the increase of Gods honour and glory 2. For the exaltation of the Catholique Church 3. For the prosperity of the Sea Apostolique 4. For the peace of Christian Princes 5. For the Re-union of Schismatiques 6. For the Conversion of Heretiques 7. For the correction of sinners 8. For the Consolation of the afflicted both living and departed §. 13. Of the Indulgences conferr'd upon the Confraternity of the Rosary AND now let 's produce the promis'd Treasures of the Indulgences themselves In the discovery whereof First we shall mention none but such as are expresly avouch'd by approv'd and authenticall Authors and directly drawn out of the Popes Bulls and Indults For since Clement the fifth in the Councill of Vienna hath impos'd a formall precept in vertue of holy obedience and upon pain of incurring eternall damnation on all such as shall presume to promulgate any Indiscreet that is as the Gloss in Clem. Verb. Religiosi explicats not granted Indulgences we have carefully as behoves us endevoured to avoid the penalty by diligently and painfully examining each particular Concession here set down and deliver'd Secondly we shall purposely omit the multitude of less Indulgences which remit certain day's years and Quarantins of enjoyn'd penances and set down onely the plenary Indulgences which are abundantly numerous to satisfy the most covetous Christians devotion I. At their first Admittance UPon the day that any one is first receiv'd and inroll'd into the sacred Confraternity of the Rosary having confessed and communicated and recited a third part of the Rosary and pray'd for the peace and tranquillitie of the Church he gains a Plenary Indulgence and Remission of all his sins Pius quintus in his Bull Consueverunt Romani Pontifices 27. of Sept. 1559. II. At their own choice ANy member of the Rosary hath the liberty once in his life and at the Article of his death to make use of any Ghostly Father who is impowr'd to confer upon him a plenary Indulgence Innocentius octavus 15. Octob. 1484. III. At the hour of death IN the hour Agony and Article of Death 1. Being confessed and communicated a plenary Indulgence Pius Quintus Consueverunt 27. of Septemb. 1559. 2. Or saying with mouth or in heart Jesus Maria a Plenary 3. Or calling thrice either by mouth or in heart upon the holy Name of Jesus a Plenary Pius Quintus Greg. 13. Clemens 8. 4. Or having a blessed Candle of the Confraternity in their hand in honour of the Virgin Mary at the time of their departure a Plenary Adrianus 6 Illius qui Dominicum Cal. Aprilis 1523. who is cited and confirmed by Clement the 7th Ineffabilia 10. Cal. April 1529. To gain which Indulgence the third part of the Rosary must have been at least once recited in the Chappell of the Rosary or in some place where the Reciter thereof might have a view of the Rosary Altar as appears by the Collation of the words of the Popes grants and by the ends for which they grant this Priviledg to wit that the Rosarists
quatenus post hujus soecuti caliginosa discrimina ad lucem indeficientem pervenire mereamur Qui vivis regnas Deus in saecula saeculorum Amen OREMUS DOmine Jesus Christe splendor gloriae figura substantiae Patris virginalis uteri fructus Qui per temporalem Nativitatem tuam divinae Filiationis imaginem per gratiam hominibus contulisti illosque fratres vocare dignatus es Auge in nobis famulis tuis in Confraternitate virginis Matris tuae gloriantibus Spiritum gratiae quem dedisti has candelas quas in honorem Nominis ejus suscipimus ita Bene †dicere sancti †ficare digneris ut quicunque cas in manibus accensas tenuerit ab omnibus liberetur tentationibus in hora mortis suae remisnem omnium peccatorum percipiat demum ad Te qui verum lumen es ipsa dirigente perveniat Qui vivis regnas in saecula saeculorum Amen Then he sprinkles the Candles with holy Water saying †In nomine Patris Filii Spiritus Sancti Amen THE GENERALL ABSOLUTION OR Plenary Indulgence To be applyed to the Brethren and Sisters of the Rosary at the hour of their Death The sick Person or some other for him having said the Confiteor the Priest standing up says Misereatur tui omnipotens Deus dimissis peccatis tuis perducat te ad vitam aeternam Indulgentiam absolutionem Remissionem peccatorum tuorum tribuat tibi omnipotens misericors Dominus Then holding his right hand over his head he proceeds DOminus noster Jesus Christus Filius Dei vivi qui Beato Petro Apostolo suo dedit potestatem ligandi atque solvendi per piissimam suam misericordiam te absolvat Et authoritate ipsius Beatorum Apostolorum ejus Petri Pauli authoritate Apostolica Absolvo te a vinculo Excommunicationis majoris minoris suspensionis interdicti in quantum possum tu indiges Restituo te Sacramentis Ecclesiae Communioni unitati fidelium †In nomine Pa †tris Fi †lii Spiritus †Sancti Amen Item Apostolica authoritate mihi commissa tibi concessa Absolvo te ab omnibus peccatis tuis quaecumque toto decursu vitae tuae quomodocumque commisisti de quibus corde contritus ore confessus es quorum memoriam non habes nec recordaris usque in praesentem diem de quibus confiteri minimè recordatus fuisti Et Restituo te illi Innocentiae in qua eras quando Baptizatus fuisti ac paritati eidem in quantum claves sanctae Matris Ecclesiae se extendunt Et per Indulgentiam plenariam a summis Pontificibus Innocentio octavo Pio quinto confratribus Sanctissimi Rosarii in articulo mortis constitutis concessam liberet te Misericordissimus Deus a praesentis futurae vitae poenis dignetur Purgatorii cruciatus remittere portas Inferni claudere Paradisi januam aperire teque gaudia sempiterna per sacratissima suae vitae passionis glorificationis Mysteria sanctissimo Rosario comprehensa perducere Et hoc si de qua agrotas Infirmitate decedas si non ex misericordia Dei salva sit tibi plenaria haec Indulgentia donec fueris in mortis articulo constitutus In nomine Patris Filii spiritus †Sancti Amen Another shorter form of Generall Absolution out of Antonius 1ª parte tit 10. cap 3. § 5. AUthoritate Apostolica mihi pro nunc commissa concedo tibi plenam omnium peccatorum tuorum Indulgentiam Remissionem In Nomine Patris Fi †lii Spiritus †Sancti Amen §. 16. Of the pious use of Processions WHereby the devout Rosarists Religiously honour God and the sacred Virgin Mary upon the first Sundays of the months and upon the seven feasts of our Blessed Lady to wit The Purification Annunciation Visitation Assumption Nativity Presentation and Conception and upon the Saturdays and other Festivall days of the fifteen Mysteries 1. The word Procession signifies literally a passing forward from one place to another Allegorically a progresse from vertu to vertu Tropologically our Peregrination upon earth Anagogically our tendencie towards heaven 2. Processions had their beginning in the Age of the old Patriarks in which the Ark of the Testament was reverently carryed to and fro by the Priests of the Tribe of Levi who were peculiarly set apart for that sacred purpose and performed that office with great pompe and solemnitie As also when David brought the Ark into the Tabernacle and Salomon into the Temple with Hymns Canticles and all sorts of musicall instruments and plac'd it under the wings of the there prepared Cherubins 3. Our solemn Processions seem in all things to imitate the Egression of the Israelites out of Egypt For 1 That people was freed by Moyses out of the hands of Pharao We by Christ out of the Clutches of the Devill 2. Ensignes were carryed before their Troops And before us Crosses and Banners 3. A pillar of Fire went before them Burning Candles are born before us 4. There the Levites carryed the Tabernacle of the Covenant and the Ark of the Testament Here the Priests carry the Statua's of Saints the Reliques of the Martyrs or the Pix with the sacred Eucharist 5. Aaron the High Priest follow'd them in his Pontificall habits and our Chief Priest follows us in his Cope and Church Ornaments 6. There was Moyses with his Rod Here is a Prelate with his Crosier a Prefect with his Officiall staffe 7. The people there march'd in compleat armour the Clergie-men are here cover'd with sacred vestments 8. they were besprinkled with Blood we with holy water 9. they had a Josuah for their conductor and conqueror we have a Jesus 10. they came at last into the Land of Promise and we come up to the holy Altar in hope to arrive one day at Heaven our promis'd home and happy countrey 4. Our Processions are the Memorialls of our Redeemers mercies minding us of the Piocessions he made from his eternall Fathers bosom into the womb of the blessed Virgin from her womb into the Manger from the Manger to Jerusalem from Jerusalem to the Mount Olivet from Mount Olivet back to his heavenly Father All which we gratefully commemorating move after his sacred Standard the Cross and make to him our humble supplications that we may pass after him from this our Pilgrimage to his Paradise from the Church Militant to the Triumphant 5. Our Processions especially those of the pious Rosarists are also Commemorations and Imitations of the blessed Virgin-Mothers journeys upon Earth when she 1. carryed or 2. accompany'd or 3. follow'd her beloved Son Jesus 1. when she carryed him in her sacred womb into the Mountains to the house of Zacharie and Elizabeth and into the Bethleem stable and when she carryed him in her sacred armes into the Temple and into Egypt 2. when she accompany'd him being twelve years old to Jerusalem
and being thirty years old throughout Judea and Galile in his preachings 3. when she follow'd him laden with his Cross to Mount Calvary And surely if all the journeys and pilgrimages from place to place of Jesus and Mary upon Earth may not properly be call'd Processions yet they may fitly be styl'd the exemplary Pattern of our Processions which are made to their likeness and in their memory and imitation 6. There are four chief and solemn Processions celebrated yearly and universally by the Catholique Church 1. in the Purification of the blessed Virgin Mary 2. upon Palm-Sunday 3. upon Easter day 4. upon Ascension day in memory and representation of that last Procession wherein the Disciples waited upon our Redeemer to Mount Olivet to see him assumpted into Heaven where it is to be noted that in the Primitive Church there were made two weekly Processions one upon Sunday in memoâ—y of the Resurrection and another upon Thursday in memory of the Ascention Whence sprung up that common Proverb of Thursdayes being neere a kin to Sunday But when afterwards the Festivities of Saints became multiplied the Solemnity and Procession of Thursday was abrogated by Pope Agapitus and transfer'd also to that of Sunday which is therefore still observ'd in the joint memorie of the Resurrection and Ascention in all cathedrall and conventuall Churches 7. To these four Processions may be added those of the greater and less Litanies which are also yearly and generally celebrated the Procession of the great Litanies upon St. Marks day instituted by Pope Gregorie the great to implore the divin assistance against the then raging Pestâ—lence the Procession of the less Litanies upon the three day's before the Ascention begun by St. Mamertus Bishop of Vienna to implore a remedie against the many miseries wherewith France was then afflicted Both which customs were afterwards confirm'd by the Church and commanded to be kept by all her faithfull children 8. Having prefated thus much of Processions in generall let us briefly consider them of the sacred Rosary in particular which as aforesaid are made upon each first Sunday of the month and the blessed Virgins Festivities 1. The first Ceremonie in these as in all other Processions is the carriage of the Cross 1. because it is the ancient and perpetuall custom of the Catholique Church to carry the Cross before in all her supplications 2. because the Cross is the common signe mark and cognisance of all Christians 3. to shew that the pious Rosarists ground all the hope and confidence of their prayers and supplications chiefly upon the merits of Christs passion 4. because the Devill being once fully conquered by the Cross is again foyl'd defeated and put to flight by these Processions 2. The second is the reliques of Saints 1. to profess the Communion of the Saints of both Churches Triumphant and Militant 2. to declare that we beg the Saints intercessions 3. to honour God in them 3. The third is the Statua of the blessed Virgin 1. this is the custom of the Church and the tradition of our Ancestors 2. it is a confusion to Heretiques and Image-haters and a motive to us at the sight of her sacred Representative to pray unto her for their conversion who is entitled by the Church the confoundress of all Heresies throughout the whole World This praying for the conversion of Heretiques being one of the principall causes of these our Processions 3. it is a practice which Heaven hath frequently approv'd of by many signall miracles Let us insist a little upon this point and prove this carriage of our blessed Ladies Image or Statua in Processions to have been the continuall practice of the Catholique Church by producing some few but most famous examples amongst the multitude which might be cited out of authentick writers in order to confute not onely such flat Hereticks as fondly affirm these manner of Processions to be no other than modern and monkish inventions but also such ignorant and criticall Catholiques as scruple to render this sort of honour to her who can never be sufficiently honoured by any human industry Poor deceiv d and undevout wretches deserving rather to be pittied for your ignorance than to be satisfi'd by arguments in a subject of so clear evidence we will stick stedfastly to our well-taken up Tenents continue cheerfully in our rightly intended devotions and pray perseverantly for yâ—ur illumination in our sacred Processions hoping at last to conquer your peevishness by our piety and charity and by her power and intercession in whose name for whose love and to whose honour we the children of Mary are gathered together as brethren in one heart soul and mind to march under the Banner of the sacred Rosary We therefore returning to our intended purpose confidently affirm that the Examples of our pious Ancestors and the miracles wrought by the carriage of our blessed Mothers Images in Procession are sufficient warrants and motives to induce us to the same devout practice Examples and miracles which may abundantly be read throughout the whol body of the Ecclesiasticall histories from whence we will borrow these few following instances And to begin with our great St Gregorie who sate in the Roman chair in the year of Christ 601. at which time the Inhabitants of that Citie dyed sodainly lying in their beds sitting in their houses walking the fields standing in the streets so violently raging was the pestilentiall contagion he ind cting a three day's supplication let us say's he O my afflicted children meet together in the Church of blessed Mary the perpetuall Virgin and holy Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ and there w th sighs tears and prayers implore the divin mercy for the remission of our sins and the remedie of our miseries The people being gathered together accordingly He in his own person takes the sacred Virgins Picture drawn by St. Lukes pensill which picture is carefully kept and highly honoured even till this day in the same Church of St. Marie ad Praesepe or of the manger in a sumptuous chappell built by Paulus quintus for that purpose and carryes it along the street in Procession when behold the celestiall Spirits are heard ecchoing forth the blessed Virgins prayses in answer to their pious hymnes and Litanies the ayre is fill'd with the melodious harmonie of angelicall Choristers in toning sweet Athems to her honour and saluting her with these sacred words used ever since by the Church in the paschall Office Regina coeli laetare c. O Queen of Heaven rejoyce Alleluja for he whom you deserv'd to bear Alleluja Is risen from death as he foretold Alleluja To which the holy Pope by divin inspiration added of his own Pray unto God for us Alleluja and an Angell is seen upon the top of the Adrian Towr putting up a Sword into its scabbard The astonish'd St. Gregorie inferring from that action a mitigation of the divine indignation denounces to the no less ravish'd people a Quietus est from
the Court of Heaven And O admirable prodigy of the divin mercy O clear testimony of holy Maryes Power there immediately follow'd a full and happy delivery from that dire disease and mortalitie And is not this onely miracle wrought in the open view of the world done in the head-Citie of the Universe acted as to that part of it which is cavill'd at by the Churches chief Pastor and Christs vice-gerent upon earth and registred by so many undeniable and authentick authors able to confound you O Heretiques and Image-haters capable to convert you O half-Catholiques and dishonourers of holy Mary sufficient to comfort you O devout children of the sacred Rosary yet cast an eye upon some others of like nature in the succeedding ages St. Stephen the third making a Procession on his bare feet together with the Roman Clergie and people and carrying a holy Image on his own shoulders to the same Church of St. Marie at the Manger implor'd and obtain'd the like heavenly assistance Sergius the Patriarch of Constantinople carryed the sacred Virgins Image in procession about the Citie-walls and receiv'd a present and miraculous remedie against Caganus and the rest of the Scithians his besieging enemies The same was done under Heraclius the Emperour in his Persian expedition who thereupon obtain'd a compleat victory over his enemies destroying with the loss only of fifty of his own Souldiers the two vast Armies of Duke Razates whose golden Armour he afterwards hung up as a trophe to the victorious Virgin And when the same Citie of Constantinople was again straightned by the cruell Saracens the distressed Inhabitants making their accustomed addresses to their Powerfull Patroness and carrying her sacred Effigies as formerly about their besieged walls saw their Enemies suddenly perishing before their faces some with fire from Heaven the rest with famin pestilence shipwrack and such like severe punishments In memorie of which miraculous delivery the gratefull Citizens celebrated an annuall Festivity in her honour by whose help they obtain'd it Many more examples might be here multiply'd in Constantin the last Eastern Emperour Emmanuel the Conquerour of Pannonia Joannes Ximisca the Overcomer of the Russians Joannes Commenius the Triumpher over the Persians c. But these few are more than sufficient to vindicate this our pious custom not only from Innovation but from all other aspersions whatsoever The fourth Ceremonie in these our Processions is the carryage of wax-Candles or Torches in imitation of the Churches ancient custom observ'd upon the day of the blessed Virgins Purification of which our St Bede said long since This good custom speading it self abroad was kept also in the other Festivities of the sacred Mother and Virgin Mary The fifth and last Ceremonie is the singing or reciting of the Litanies of our blessed Lady of the Rosary which Litanies are sung in the Church called our Lady of Minerva in Rome and in many other Churches throughout all Italie upon every Saturday by the approbation and authoritie of Pope Gregorie the thirteenth in his Brief bearing date Aprill the fifteenth 1580. which Litaâ—ies are as follow 's after this Elevation §. 17. An Elevation for the Procession of the Rosary O Sacred Virgin-Mother Conduct my foot-steps my thoughts and my prayers 1. That I may honour your Excellencies Greatnesses and Glories 2. That I may submit to the Soveraign power you have over me 3. That I may implore and obtain your favour and mercy which are the three Ends and Intentions I propose to my self in accompanying this sacred Procession which is now made in your honour by your faithfull children and servants I intend also hereby to honour all your sacred courses and journey's The first which in your tender age you made to the Temple to present and consecrate your self entirely to the divin Majesty dedicating to him your body by a vow of perpetuall Virginitie your soul by a resolution of future affection and all your Actions by a Sacrifice of your whol life to his service The Second which being declared Gods Mother you made into the Mountains to visite your Cousin Elizabeth to sanctify St John Baptist to bless that whol Family The third which being big with the divin Word Incarnate you made from Nazareth to Bethleem to shew your loyall Obedience to an Earthly Princes Edict but more to profess your prompt subjection to the Heavenly Kings Providence The fourth which bearing your Blessed Babe in your arms you made from Bethleem to the Temple to offer up to the Eternall Father the highest and holyest Oblation that ever was or shall be offered to his divin Majesty An Offering which was the full accomplishment of all the ancient Figures and Sacrifices The Fifth which to avoid Herods cruelty you made with your tender son Jesus and your dear Husband St. Joseph into Egypt The sixth which having lost your beloved Jesus you made to Jerusalem carefully seeking him The seventh which during his three last years preaching you made throughout Judea and Palestin painfully following him The eighth which in the time of his Passion you made to Mount Calvary dolefully accompanying him The ninth which having compleated your happy Pilgrimage upon earth you made to Paradise to remain there the glorious Empress of Heaven for evermore In the honour of these your journeys O sacred Virgin Star of the Sea and Guide of my life I will take my stepps in this present Procession humbly desiring to run after the odours of your sweet perfumes that is to imitate the examples of your heroique vertues that so I may be found worthy to accompany you in Celestiall glory and there with you to bless praise and honour the Father Son and Holy Ghost for all Eternity Amen THE LITANIES OF OUR BLESSED LADY OF THE ROSARY Antiphona Sub tuum Praesidium confugimus Sancta Dei Genitrix nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus nostris sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper Virgo gloriosa benedicta Domina nostra Mediatrix nostra Advocata nostra tuo filio nos reconcilia tuo Filio nos commenda tuo Filio nos representa nunc in hora mortis nostrae KYrie Eleyson Christe Eleyson Kyrie Eleyson Sancta Trinitas unus Deus miserere nobis Virgo Audi nos Virgo Exaudi nos Sancta Maria Sancta Dei Genitrix Ora pro nobis Sancta Virgo Virginum Mater Pietatis Mater Veritaetis Mater Charitatis Virgo Potentissima Virgo Prudentissima Virgo Clementissima Ancilla Domini mitis Ancilla Christi humilis Ancilla Dei fidelis Sponsa aeterni Patris Filia summi Regis Templum Spiritus sancti Domus Dei Sanctuarium Christi Sacrarium Paracleti Speculum Justitiae Sedes Sapientiae Fons Misericordiae Salus Infirmorum Refugium Miserorum Advocata Peccatorum Stella rutilantior Luna pulchrior Sole splendidior Scala Coeli Porta Paradisi Domina Mundi Cedrus Fragrans Myrrha Conservans Balsamum Distillans Flos Virginitatis Lilium Castitatis
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
also imbuing me with his goodness rendred me so full of Grace that whosoever seeks grace and favour by my means may surely find it And by that sentence Our Lord is with thee I am reminded of the ineffable union and operation which the whole Trinity wrought within me when he coupled the substance of my flesh to his own Divin Nature in one Person God becoming Man and man God Surely the sweetness I then felt exceeds all expression By the following words Blessed art thou amongst Women all Mankind admiringly confesses my singular priviledges prerogatives and perfections above all other pure creatures And lastly By Blessed is the fruit of thy Womb he is pray'sd extoll'd and magnifi'd who made me thus blessed by vouchsafing to be born of me Thus much of the first effect of this divin Salutation 2. This Slutation strikes the Devill with terrour and each word thereof exceedingly troubles torments and confounds him For Ave or Hail displeases the Devill because by Eve he had procured mans wo and misery which by this Ave is redressed Mary he cannot abide because she bruised his head Full of Grace affrights him who is full of malice Our Lord is with thee renews his torment because himself was formerly with Eve and the greatest part of her posterity til he became disposess'd by Christs being with Mary Blessed art thou amongst Women exceedingly troubles him because he by Eve had brought a Malediction upon all mankind which by Mary was cancell'd and chang'd into a Benediction Blessed is the fruit of thy Womb Jesus utterly confounds him because by this blessed fruit of Mary he was totally defeated and conquered 3. This Salutation brings great profit to mankind and if we will seriously dive into the hidden sense and meaning of each syllable wherof it is compos'd we shall every where find some evill to be repell'd or some good thing acquir'd Let us therefore frequently make our humble addresses to the most holy Virgin Mary saying Ave Hail O Immaculate Mother you were free from all wo and blemish of sin help me who am therewith defil'd and defend me from the Eternall wo I have thereby deserved Mary O Virgin Illuminated of God Illuminatrix of Blind sinners Bright Star of the Sea and the worlds beautifull Lady Enlighten my eyes that I may not sleep in death and plead my cause at your Sons Tribunall that I may be preserv'd from blindness of heart and finall Impenitencie Full of Grace O Mary you found grace with God to become his dearly beloved Spouse Daughter and Mother to be indu'd with all vertues excellencies and perfections to be honour'd and exalted above all creatures and to be crown'd Queen of Heaven Impart to me so much grace out of this your great plenty as may procure my reconciliation to your Sons favour and friendship Our Lord is with thee And O sacred Mother let him by your powerfull means be with me also He was with you In your Soul spiritually in your Body corporally and let him be here with me by Faith charity spiritually and hereafter by vision and fruition eternally Blessed art thou amongst Women O most Blessed Mother bestow a Mothers blessing upon me your child and free me by your merits and intercession from all future curse and malediction And blessed is the fruit of thy Womb Jesus O Eternally Blessed Jesu be unto me a Jesus O Mary be unto me a Mother Thus both Saints and sinners may find sufficient fewell for their devotion in the recitall of this divin Salutation They for the encrease of their sanctity These for the redress of their misery And what pious Christian will not be henceforth stirr'd up the fervent and frequent use of this Salutation which is so short and yet so sweet and so full of celestiall fruits and profits and to which they are invited says the mellifluous S. Bernard by Gabriels example by the Baptists exultation and by the hopes of gaining a resalutation O happiness to be met with reciprocall courtesies by so holy so honourable so powerfull a Mother and to be repay'd with rich and reall gifts benefits for our verbal salutations and services For she will not be backward says Albertus to answer us nor silent to resalute us because she is the Mother of humility civility and courtesie and her resalutation is a collation of all sorts of spirituall favours and benefits Let us therefore O my Brethren says S. Bernard come before her sacred Image or Representative and with bended knees imprint upon it our kisses saluting her and saying Hail Mary full of Grace our Lord is with thee c. The fourth Part of the Rosary is the Meditation upon the Fifteen Mysteries whereof Five are call'd Joyfull Five Dolorous and Five Glorious as shall be hereafter more particularly set down and described Now since the great fruits and Profits which redound to pious souls by the devout reflexion upon these divin Mysteries and the same may be said of all internall Prayer are much more easily experienced than explicated And also since this is largly deliver'd by severall learned Authors upon the subject of Mentall Prayer and Meditation we shall only here give you most devout Rosarists some few rules and cautions whereby you may understand how to manage these your Meditations for your best spirituall profit and advantage Whosoever therefore will fruitfully meditate upon the Joyfull and Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary First must do it with a certain intimate and affectionate congratulation of heart and soul as holy Church invites us in the person of the sacred Virgin Congratulate with me all yee that love our Lord for that I being a little one have pleas'd the most high and have born God and man in my bowellâ—… for by this sincere congratulation we become sweetly transform'd into the holy Virgins affections feeling as it were the same Joys wherewith her heart was replenish'd Secondly It must be done with a due and gratefull thanksgiving for the Benefitts bestow'd upon us and upon the Blessed Virgin Praysing God for his Mercies with her and by her example in her divine Magnificat Thirdly It must be done with a devout attention and recollection without which all prayer and meditation as our Reason dictates and the Angelicall Doctor proves will be altogether fruitless and unprofitable In like manner whosoever will reap true profit by reflecting upon the Dolorous Mysteries must do it First with a mind and intention to imitate the Patience Humility Piety and whatsoever vertue he finds there exemplifi'd 2. To compassionate with our loving Redeemer and his dear Mother in their sufferings 3. To admire our Saviours Mercy and Goodness Considering Who What For whom And from whom he endured 4. To rejoyce at our own Redemption and at the Angells Reparation 5. To transform our selves by sincere affection as it were into our Crucifi'd Saviour 6. To rest sweetly upon that sacred object making it our place of retreat and refuge and hiding
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
and are here set down in that direct order which ought to be observ'd in meditating upon them which is First to begin with the five joyfull mysteries Secondly to proceed to the five Dolorous Thirdly to conclude with the five Glorious For according to this order they were accomplish'd in the Persons of our Saviour Christ and his Blessed Mother The five Joyfull Mysteries So called for that they contain the chief Joys which the most sacred virgin Mary felt concerning her Son Christs human nature 1. The Annunciation of Christs Incarnation by the Archangel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary which is briefly express'd in these verses Heav'ns loftyest turret to earth's center bends Th' Incarnat Word to our low vale descends And Eccho's there usher'd by Angells voyce And by a purer Virgins vocall choyce While She according to this word of thine Humbly reply'd thy Masters word be mine 2. The Visitation which the Blessed Virgin made to her cousin Saint Elizabeth Mary salutes Eliza while from far Our Sun is brought to light his morning Star The Star though clowded feels the welcom ray And leaps to shew he can fore-run his day Dance unripe Child before thou com'st to light An after-dance will cause thy fatall night 3. The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ Learn Man what wonders in this birth appear The lesser Orbe involves the greater Spheare Etheriall lightning leaves its native shrowd Comes forth not breaking the mysterious clowd Angells their God their Master Beasts discern Of those above of these below thee learn 4. The Oblation or Presentation of Christ to his Eternall Father in the Temple and the Purification of his Mother How cheap a thing is light and more we pay For oylin flame than goulden locks of day His ransom who from darkness all redeem'd The Priest a two poor Turtle-Doves esteem'd Jews are wise marchands this new Sun ere old Must to the Priests again b' as cheaply sold 5. The Finding of Christ in the Temple disputing amongst the Doctors Found in the Temple midst the Doctors plac'd Jesus at once vertu and learning grac'd If Church and Schools be severd zeal turns blind And knowledg lame they both are perfect joynd Adore the Altar reverence the Chair Learn what to ask and then present thy pray'r The five Dolorous Mysteries so called for that they contain the chief sorrows which Christ our Redeemer felt in his bitter Passion 1. His Agony whil'st he was at his Prayers in the Garden What man of sorrow with two blood-shot eyes Ten thousand bleeding pores there prostrate lyes All middle colours by extreams are bred His candour with our blackness makes him red Whose present dress though Scarlet but displays The rosy dawn of two more Crimson day's 2. His most cruell Flagellation Can all these bleeding wounds that scourging find No blush in face no pity raisd in mind Behold the Man you worst of savage beast Malice enough has done more Hell detests Hate forward goes till her loath'd object she Not to be wretched knows but not to be 3. His Crowning with sharp Thorns The pungent cares on regall Scepters born Do prove all Diadems be crowns of thorn Yet Kings from scoffs and low contempt are free Derisions reach not earthly Majestie Christs Crown no fewer slights than thorns emboss More keen than those sharp nayls that pierc'd his Cross 4. The Carrying of his Cross to Mount Calvary Striving his Cross to bear he faints and falls He that sustains Heaven and Earths massie balls Simon succeeds on whose weak shoulders they The shadow of the Cross not substance lay Simon the wood the weight Christ only bore A world of heavy sins throng'd in each pore 5. His Crucifixion and Death upon the Cross Hail Tree of life whose trunck the table made Whereon the worlds dear price was told and payd On thy fair planks our sinking souls that bore Poor shipwrackt men layd hold and swim to shore Raisd from the depth by thee they floating stood Boy'd up with spring-tides of Christs copious blood The five Glorious Mysteries so called for that they contain the chief Glories which befell Christ and his sacred Mother 1. The Resurrection of our Lord JESUS The piercing sword leaves sad Maria's brest Sorrow's old wound makes for new joy 's a nest Jesus himself and her revives his light Relumins many a fire long quencht in night She sees the Patriarks shine with him his ray Dimms not their weaker Stars yet doubles day 2. His Ascension into Heaven Our Heav'n-ascending Lord no fiery Steed's Nor flaming Chariot of Elijah needs The wings of wind or Angels are too slow His feet in thier own motion swifter go The Sun at his approach that fabulous sign Of Aries leaves in him the Lamb tâ— shine 3. The sending down the Holy Ghost to his Church In form of fire a rushing wind conveighs Ardours divin the Infant Church to raise And high enthrone in a majestick Sphear Above the reach of cold distrust or fear Th' Elect thus freed from bonds of narrow sense In all known tongues all unknown truth dispence 4. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin up to heaven Enoch alive translated walks with God Walks finds yet in bliss no fix't about The zealous Thesbite undissolv'd ascends And at Heav'n gates the worlds last year attends Death 's the sole way to life Maria dyes Closes on earth open's in heav'n her eyes 5. The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin in Heaven T is thy Sons light Maria makes thee shine The beam's are his the sole reflection thine Bright as the Moon thou look'st for borrow'd rays Both tributarie to the Prince of days The Sun her globe opposed only fills On thee full light thy Sun conjoyn'd distills These fifteen Mysteries for greater ease of the memory are briefly comprehended in these six verses Annun Vis Nat. Present and Find Reduce the Joyfull Five to mind Pray'r Scourg Thorn Cross Crucify Do the five Dolorous imply Res As Parac Assump corone By those the Glorious five are known Or thus in three verses She 's told She visits He 's Born Offer'd and Found He Pray's is whipp'd is crown'd carryes is kill'd Râ—ses Ascends sends down She dyes is Crown'd §. 7. Of the fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary in particular The first part containing the five Joyfull Mysteries 1. The first Joyfull Mystery She 's told THE Annunication of Chirsts Incarnation by the Archangell Gabriel to the Blessed virgin Mary Luca. To Blessed Mary th' Angell of our Lord Announces she shall bear th' Eternal Word This first Principall and Joyfull Mystery as also all the others hereafter following comprehends under its notion may other singular and particular Joy's wherewith the sacred Virgins soul was ravish'd and replenish'd upon the news brought down to her from Heaven of the Eternall Words Incarnation in her womb which we shall both here and hereafter briefly reduce to Ten heads or points of Meditation according to the number of the Angelicall Salutations which are
Mother of God and Man and entirely a pure and unspotted Virgin O News exclaims S. Bernard never before heard of A Mother and yet a Virgin A Virgin and yet a Mother Hail Mary 3. At her bringing forth without pain O You Blessed and the only Blessed amongst women says the same Saint who alone were exempt from the generall curse of all women But what wonder if he put his Mother to no pain at his birth who was born to take away all pain from the whole world Hail Mary 4. At the Angelicall Iubilation FOr She saw the heavenly Court rejoycing at her Sons Nativity and heard the alternate Echo's of their Glory to God on high and Peace on Earth to People of good will Hail Mary 5. At the vision of the divin Essence FOr if She frequently enjoy'd this priviledge in her life-time as is the opinion of many learned Fathers She now surely enjoy'd it in a most eminent manner when she brought forth Gods Son into the world Hail Mary 6. At the many benefits bestowed on Mankind by her Son's Birth TO wit The Exaltation of human Nature The Redemption of the World The satisfaction for sin The victory over Satan The Promotion of Man to vertu Sanctity Perfection The certainty of Faith The Erection of Hope The Encrease of Charity The conferring of an Eternall Life and Kingdom Hail Mary 7. At the multitude of miracles wrought then for his manifestation to the World FOr 1. A great bright unusuall Star invites the Wise-men to Bethleem stable 2. Three Suns appear in Spain soon after joyning themselves into one Body signifying says S. Thomas that the Flesh the Soul and the Deity of the then born Infant were united in one person 3. A golden circle encompasses the Sun in the midst whereof stands a beautifull Virgin with a child in her bosom which the Sybill shews to Octavian the then Roman Emperor with many other wonders declaring to the whol world the divin Majesty and glory of her new-born Son Hail Mary 8. At the Adoration of the Wise-men WHo exteriourly summon'd by the appearing Star and interiourly instructed by the Holy Ghost came and fell down at his feet full of Faith Religion and Devotion and there brake forth into Acts of Adoration and extasies of Admiration Hail Mary 9. At their mysticall offrings WHich were Gold as to a great King Frankincense as to a true God Myrrh as to a mortall man who was to dy for the worlds Redemption Hail Mary 10. At the Vocation Conversion and Salvation of the Gentills WHereof she saw a happy beginning in these holy Kings Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. These prayers Angelicall with bended knee c. Affections Elevations Petitions O Great Monarch of Heaven and Earth Is your Mercy your Compassion and your Charity to poor Mankind so excessive as that you should thus descend from your Throne of Majesty into a vale of misery for our salvation O Virgin-Mother the choyce Chamber Temple and Tabernacle of Gods Son the Queen of Heaven and Lady of the World Be you Eternally blessed who have been found worthy to bring forth the so long desired and expected of all Ages O Jesu My Lord and my Redeemer who were born of a poor Handmaid wrapp'd in poor Swathes hous'd in a poor Stable Bedded in a poor Cribb Give me true poverty of spirit and a perfect contempt of all worldly honours and greatnesses O sweet Saviour of the World who call'd the Kings to acknowledge and adore you in your Cradle and commanded them to return back by another way into their Countrey Call and compell my rebellious heart unto you by the powerfull light of your efficacious grace shining in my interiour and dispersing all darkness and indevotion in my soul that I may there find you feel you see you adore you and offer up to your divin Majesty the Myrrh of true compunction and mortification The Frankincense of fervent Prayer and devotion the Gold of ardent love and affection O grant that I may henceforth more faithfully follow your holy lights vocations and inspirations which will conduct me into the right way leading to my heavenly home out of which I have hitherto stray'd by my own wilfull malice negligence and sinfullness O my glorious new-born King Christ Jesu you were pleas'd to want a lodging upon Earth that you might lodge me in Heaven To be deprived of all worldly conveniences that you might heap on me your Celestiall comforts To embrace Poverty Humility self-contempt abnegation annihilation that you might inrich me with all the spirituall Treasures of vertu and perfection And shall I gape after temporall goods and glories seek for fleshly solaces and satisfactions place my affection upon poor and perishable trifles No my dear Redeemer I will henceforth endeavour to imitate your most perfest Example And O that I were sincerely willing to abandon all truly content to be abandon'd by all and really resolv'd to submit my self and all to your sacred will and disposition that so I might be absolutely conformable to you my All and All O holy Virgin O happy Mother how sweetly is my Soul ravish'd in the contemplation of that unspeakable joy and gladness which your dilated heart felt when you first embrac'd the long desired of all Nations in your tender folds I congratulate this your happiness O glorious Mother of my good Jesus and humbly creeping in amongst the holy crew of admiring Angells Kings and Shepheards I affectionately present you with these my meaner Canticles of conjubilation We were the poor banish'd miserable progeny of our unfortunat mother Eve we were the wretched Bond-slaves of sin and Satan we were the forlorn lost and stray'd sheep wilfully fled away from our faithfull Shepheard We were the Prodigall children carryed abroad by our own concupiscences from our loving Father and by your Sons means O Blessed and most fortunate Mother we are disingaged deliverd redeem'd from all these miseries woes and disasters O the happy change of our unhappy condition O Eternally Blessed Tree and Blessed Blossom Blessed Womb and Blessed Fruit Blessed Mary and Blessed Jesu The fourth joyfull Mystery offer'd THe Oblation and Presentation of Christ to his Eternall Father in the Temple And the Purification of his Blessed Mother Luc. 2. The Virgin 's purifi'd her dear Son warm's Old Simeons breast presented in his arms Our Father c. The Blessed Virgin exceedingly rejoyced 1. At the carriage of her sweet Son Iesus FOr upon the fortith day after our blessed Saviours birth she cheerfully sets forth of Bethleem stable with her little Jesus in her armes and S. Joseph in her company towards Jerusalem to fulfill the Law of Moyses and to offer up her Son to his Eternall Father in the Temple And though she had just reason to dread King Herods cruelty yet she was more afraid to offend the divin Majesty The way says Ludolphus was five miles long yet she felt not the least
the Son and to the Holy Ghost c. These Prayers Angelicall with bended knee c. Affections Elevations Petitions WHy weep you O sacred Virgin Why do you grieve and mourn O glorious Mother of Jesus your Son lives triumphs reigns He that was lately accounted the out-cast of the people is now the most happy of all mankind He that was crucifi'd dead and buried appears now cloathed with Clarity Agilitie Subtility Impassibilitie Behold the Man look up O Blessed Mary upon your beloved Jesus the lively Image of the Eternall Father the beauty and brightness of Heaven and Earth the Crown and ornament of Men and Angells Lo He here presents himself unto you to wipe all tears from your eyes and disperse all sorrows from your heart Hear him speaking unto you in his wonted tone and tearms of respect All Hail my most honoured Mother Peace and joy be with you 'T is I my self who am the comfortable Messenger of this happy exchange of yours and my sorrows into gladness and Jubilation both that you may with me incessantly prayse and bless my Eternall Father and also that you may take the first and best share of joy who have the greatest interest in me and had the greatest part with me in my passion of any mortall creature See and admire the power of the Almightyes right hand in the person of your Son The disgrac'd is glorifi'd the defam'd is justifi'd the condemn'd is absolv'd the crucifi'd is resuscitated Rejoyce then dear Mother together with you joyfull Son for whom you need not now fear any further miseries persecutions Crosses since he is above the reach of mans malice and the Devils power having put on the robes of glory impassibility immortality The short Winter of suffering is turn'd into a perpetuall Summer of consolation The stormy showers of blood into a sweet dew of blessings All my wounds are perfectly cur'd and the scarrs only remain as Rubies of my honour and badges of my victory O the excesses of Joy which transported your extasi'd heart and soul O sacred Virgin-Mother at the sight of your now again living and gloriously triumphing Son Jesus And O my soul If thou desirest a share in these Joys and gloryes of Jesus and Mary thou must also resolve to bear a part in their sorrows and sufferings Thou art much mistaken in thinking to triumph without trying for the Victory or to be crown'd without conquering No my delicate Soldier Christ thy King and Captain suffer'd before he entred into his glory Queen Maries heart was pierced with sorrow before it was replenish'd with comforts All the Saints combated before they were crown'd And refusest thou all sufferings all sorrows all combates all that thy flesh and blood cannot relish O dear Jesu What will you do with me who dare not encounter with the least difficulties How will you deal with me who bear the name of a Christian soldier and am indeed no better than a base and cowardly sensualist If I love the glory of your Crown why dislike I the ignominie of your Cross If I desire the reward of a Conqueror why do I not adventure into the field of the combat O why should your painfull death and passion so much affright me since your glorious Resurrection confirms me in the Hope and Faith of a future felicity why should I more dread in reflecting upon the difficulties occurring in my Pilgrimage than rejoyce in fixing my thoughts upon the pleasures of Paradise which is the end of my Pilgrimage O why am I not content to suffer with Jesus and for Jesus were there no reward to be expected for all my sufferings It being a sufficient glory to a faithfull Christian to be conformable to Christ his Captain Behold therefore I humbly prostrate my self here at your sacred feet O my victorious Redeemer imploring your pardon for my past pusillanimity and purposing to behave my self hereafter more manfully Come all sorts of crosses and losses all sorrows and sicknesses all punishments and persecutions all derelictions and desclations I will no more be daunted or dismay'd but animated by your example and assisted by your grace O Christ my King my Captain my glorious Conqueror I will either pass through them couragiously or pass by them patiently or pass over them victoriously Yes my Lord Jesu I will receive henceforth all afflictions from the hands of your divin providence as pledges of your paternall affection and most willingly joyfully resignedly embrace them as the happily offered occasions for the encrease of my merit the exercise of my vertu the perfection of my soul the expiation of my sins the crowning me with glory The second Glorious Mystery Ascends THE Ascension of our Lord Jesus into Heaven Mark 16. His great work don and his Commisons given In Glorious triumph he ascends to Heaven Our Father c. THE Glorious Virgin-Mother exceedingly rejoyced 1. At the Ascension of her Son Iesus in hers and his Disciples presence FOr upon the fortieth day after our Redeemers Resurrection his sacred Mother with the Apostles the seventy two Disciples and many more of his faithfull friends and followers met together by the divin instinct upon Mount Sion and march'd from thence proâ—essionally to the Mount Olivet distant a mile from Jerusalem to be spectators of this admirable catastrophe of their dear Saviour Christs humanity and to receive his last blessing before he left the Earth to ascend into Heaven Hail Mary 2. At his great Power shew'd in his Ascension FOr he elevated himself by his own strength and vertu nor could he need any forreign help or assistance whose inhabiting Divinity and glorifi'd soul could move his impassible and agile body as himself pleased Hail Mary 3. At the joyfull meeting and acclamation of the Angelicall spirits WHich undoubtedly descended all to accompany his humanity to congratulate his victory to echo forth the triumphs of his prayses Hail Mary 4. At his soaring above all the Heavens TO wit above the spheres of the seven Planets above the Christallin orbe above the starrie Firmament even to the Empyreall seat of the Divinity according to that sentence of the Apostle He ascended up far above all the Heavens that he might fulfill all things Hail Mary 5. At his ascending above the Angelicall quires and all creatures whatsoever ACcording to that expression of the same Apostle God the Father placed him his son Jesus far above all principalities and Powers and Dominations and every thing that is nam'd not only in this world but in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet Hail Mary 6. At his being seated on the right hand of his Eternall Father ACcording to that of S. Mark He was assumpted into Heaven and sits on his Fathers right hand And of S. Paul His Father set him on his own right hand in the heavenly places Which is a Metaphoricall expression signifying equality and society of Majesty honour power felicity c. Hail Mary 7.
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
apply my self to you I will transfrom my self into you I lose my self and Abysm my self in you for you are my God and I am your Creature you are my Soveraign and I your vassall you are my Redeemer and I your Bondslave 14. A totall Reference and Oblation of our selv's to Jesus THese are your qualities and these my endeavours and duties I accept of them and entirely yeild up my self And I make an Oblation to you of my Obedience of my servitude and of my Absolute dependency upon you and this I offer up to you for evermore I render up and totally submit my self to the motion of your Spirit and to the efficacious conduct of your Grace establish'd on Earth in Heaven by the new Mysterie of your Incarnation And I will have no other repose upon earth than in your labours no other delight than in your Cross no other life than in your death no other solace than in your sufferings as it is your Will that I should in Heaven and in Eternity have life in your life felicity in your felicity Paradise in your Paradise fruition in your fruition and subsistency in your Divinity ELEVATIONS TO THE SACRED TRINITY UPON The Mysterie of the Incarnation TO ADORE the Supream Greatnesses of JESUS and to offer up our selv's unto him in the estate of humble servitude and absolute dependency which is due to him by reason of the ineffable union of the Divinity with the Humanity HOLY Divin and Adorable Trinity in the Unity of your Essence in the Society of your Persons in the fecundity of your Emanations I prayse and adore you in the sublimity of your Greatnesses and I Abysm my self in the profundity of your Councills and in the extent of your Mercies 1. God Created two Natures capable of himself upon one he exercises his Justice upon the other his Mercy YOU have created two Natures capable of your self That of the Angell and that of Man You will exercise upon one of them your Justice and upon the other your mercy I Adore you in this your will and I give you thanks for this your Councill which you held from all Eternity in the excess of your miserations Councill most sublime and most profound Councill most holy and most sacred to unite one day and for evermore human nature to your Divin Essence 2. The Mystery of the Incarnation is the head-work of Gods Love and Power And what is proper to the Person of thâ— Father in the Mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation O Eternall Father who do produce in your self an only Son equall to your self and do produce him out of your self by a second and new Nativity choosing him to unite in his person your nature and ours I prayse and bless you as God and as Father an ds God and Father of this only Son Jesus Christ our Lord. You beget him eternally and you bestow him as another your self in this unspeakable generation and since the Moment chosen by your wisdom you give him incessantly to this humanity derived from the Virgin Happy Moment which serv'd for the Beginning of this great work the head-work of your love and power O God and all-powerfull Father be you Eternally blessed in this moment in this work in this love Love by which you powre out of your self this Celestiaâ—l dew this divin substance this pretious gift which the World and the blessed Virgin receiv's and in her our nature Work wherein is accomplish'd the work of your works the mysterie of your mysteries the mysterie of the Incarnation Moment in which our nature receiv'd and that for an evermore the Person of your only Son for her peculiar Person and this by a tie so sacred so divin so inward and conjoyn'd to your Divinity 3. What is proper to the Person of the Son in these Mysteries O Only Son of God! who do give your Essence to the Holy Ghost and your Person to our Humanity by an ineffable and secret Power of your Love I prayse you contemplate you and adore you in your self and in these two different donations you eternally produce the Holy Ghost and give him the same essence which you have receiv'd of the Father you create and form a new man by a new effort of your grace and power and you give your self to him uniting his nature to your own Person nor do you ever cease in this union and divin donation you thus worthily and divinly exercise your love you conspire in unitie with the Father in these two great donations the one Eternall the other Temporall and you fill up with the one times fullness and with the other the fullness of Eternitie blessed be you in time and in Eternitie When you discoursed of your self to your most inward and familiar friends that is to your Apostles in the last hour of your life you then nam'd your self Life and so you are the Life and Originall of Life and of Love in the thrice sacred Trinity which Death cannot bereave you of but in the the excess of your love you would yet become a new Life and a new beginning of Life and Love in your humanity Blessed be you in this will and in this love Love depressing and exalting Love annihilating and deifying Love crucifying and glorifying for this Love elevates the humanity and depresseth the divinity this Love annihilates in a manner your nature and deifies ours this Love puts you on the Cross and placeth us â—n Glory and finally this Love transforms us into you not only by communication of qualities but even by communication of substance O Son of God! I love you and I adore you in this love in this annihilation in this powerfull transformation 4. What is proper to the Person of the Holy Ghost in these Mysteries FRom you I come to the Holy Ghost who proceeds from you as you proceed from the Father for in this way of Life and Love I trace the order of the divin Processions and sources of Life and after the Son I address my self to you O Fountain of Life O holy Spirit Spirit of Truth of Life and of Love and I adore you in your self for you are God in the unity which you have with the Father and the Son I adore you in your Emanation for you proceed from them and you are their Spirit their Tye their Love and I again adore you in the admirable operation which you exercise in the time ordain'd by the eternall wisdom for it is the highest and holyest Operation which can be terminated out of your self Operation which environs the worthiest person that ever shall be next to the divin Persons that is the Person of the Virgin Operation which depresses and exalts her depresses her even into the center of her nothing drawing from her these sacred words Behold our Lords hand-mayd and exalts her to the greatest dignity which shall ever be communicated either to her or to any other making her Mother of God
Operation which prepares and unites our nature with the Divinity and the Person of the Virgin with the Person of the Word Operation which accomplisheth the Incarnation of the word and the deification of human nature which remaining human in the very estate of this divin union receiv's uncreated and infinite Grace in a being which is created finite and like to ours 5. Contemplations upon the humanity of Jesus ANd you O sacred Humanity which by this Operation of the Holy Ghost are divinly deriv'd from the Virgin and personally united to the eternall Word I contemplate and adore you in that mervailous estate whereunto you enter Estate of Existency in the divin Being Estate of subsistency in the Person of the Word Estate of Filiation not adoptive but proper and naturall and I lose my self in the consideration of the inward and secret communications of the divin perfections which are singularly conferr'd upon a nature rhus resident thus living thus existent in the divinity 6. Contemplations upon the association of the blessed Virgin in the Mysterie of the Incarnation ANd since the most sacred Trinity chooseth you O holy Virgin and associates you to himself in this admirable operation I cannot forget you in this Mysterie nor ought I to seperate what God in this work hath conjoyn'dâ— Work in which he vouchsafes to you so great and honourable a part and so peculiar to you only amongst all Creatures I prayse then and reverence you with a singular Veneration correspondent to the excess of that excellency and dignity communicated unto you For you are Mother of God and you are the only in this order and quality and it is in you and in you only that this work of works is accomplish'd and this divin union between the Humanity and the Divinity is consummated In these thoughts there is enough to ravish a Soul to loose it in the diversity of these Objects and to swallow it up in their deep profundities I am confounded in the contemplation of them I caâ—… my self down I lift my self up I rejoyce I leap out of my self and I will have share in this new grace of this new mysterie of the Incarnation 7. An Oblation of humble Servitude to Jesus and to his deifi'd Humanity ANd expecting untill it shall please God to make me capable of some one of the holy inventions of his Spirit and of the operations of his grace and love by consequence of this mysterie I offer and submit my self I vow and dedicate my self to Jesus Christ our Lord in the state of perpetuall servitude to him and to his deify'd Humanity and to his humaniz'd Divinity and this with a resolution as firm constant and inviolable as by his grace is possible for me to make and as the durance and perpetuity of this stable mysterie permament for all Eternity doth deserve 8. A larger expression of this servitude WHerefore in honour of the unity of the Son with the Father and the Holy Ghost and of the union of the â—ame Son with human nature which he â—aâ—th united and joyn'd to his own Person I do unite and fasten my being to Jesus Christ and to his deify'd Humanity by the bond of perpetuall servitude I knit this knot on my part with all my power and beg of him to give me more power to tie my self to him with a closer and faster colligation in honour of those holy and sacred connexions which he will have with us in Earth and in Heaven in the life of grace and of glory 9. The Life of the Divinity in the Humanity I Reverence and adore the Life and annihilating of the Divinity in the Humanity the life the substance and the deification of this Humanity in the Divinity and all the actions humanly divin and divinly human which have proceeded from this new and mutual life of the Man-God living in two Essences whereof one is Eternall the other Temporall the one is Divin the other Humanâ— Life great high and profound of the Man-God and of the God Man Life rare and admirable but hidden in its own sublimity Life unknown even to Angels and to all created nature under the manifestation of glory Life hidden I say and unknown of the Divinity in this Humanity and of the Humanity in the Divinity In homage of this double Life and Essence I dedicate and consecrate to him my life and my actions of nature and of grace and this I consecrate to him in quality of the life and actions of one of his Bond-slaves for evermore 10. The denudation of Jesus's human subsistencie is the cause that his humanity and all its actions are appropriated to the Person of the Eternall word by which it subsists I Reverence the denudation and nakeding which the Humanity of Iesus hath of its own proper and ordinary subsistencie to be revested with another subsistency which we may call forreign and extraordinary to its own nature whence it is that its life and its estate its motiâ—…s and its actions are not now from it self nor its own to speak properly but they are all that's actions which sustains it thus denuded of its won peculiar subsistence In honour of this Privation of the Humanity of a thing so inward and so conjoyn'd to its own nature and of the new and absolute dependencie which it hath of a divin Person I renounce all power authority and liberty which I have to dispose of my self of my being of all the conditions circumstances and â—ppurtenances thereof and of all my actions to dismiss my self entirely into the hands of Jesus and of his sacred humanity to his honour and glory for the accomplishment of all his purposes and powers upon me 11. An Oblation of all that we are and can to this sacred Humanity I make unto you O Iesu and to your deify'd Humanity an entire absolute and irrevocable Oblation and Donation of all that I am by you in the Being and in the order of nature and grace of all that which depends thereupon of all the naturall and good actions which I shall ever perform referring my self totally that is all that which is in me and all that which I can refer to the homage and honour of your sacred humanity which I from henceforth look upon and lay hold on as the object whereunto after God I refer my soul my interiour and exteriour Life and generally all whatsoever is mine 12. JESUS is doubly in the state of a servant 1. by humbling his divin Person to a created nature 2. by dying on the Cross O Great and admirable Jesu notwithstanding your greatness I behold you in the state and form of a servant and I see that you have taken this form and this estate in two severall manners the one by taking our human nature in the Mysterie of the Incarnation and abjecting in it the infinite and supream being of your Divinity even to the nothing of our nature the other by taking the abject condition of our
the end Amen Ave Maria c. 4. The fourth Exercise may be to practice some particular devotion upon such day's as are dedicated to the blessed Virgins memory and honour which are all the Saturday's besides the rest of her annuall Festivities These devotions may be to visit her Altar to recite her Litanies to make use of some of these or the like prescribed forms c. 5. The fifth Exercise may be the paying of some Annuall Tribute as St. Peter Damian tearms it to the blessed Virgin how little soever it be in token of the homage and servitude due to her Soveraign Empire This Tribute may be tendred at some Altar dedicated to her honour together with the recitall of this Prayer Receive O Soveraign Empress this small Tribute which I here most humbly present to your sacred Majesty in acknowledgment of that supream Dominion you have next after God over my heart and to testifie the desire I have to live and dye your Bond-slave Permit not O sacred Virgin that I ever pay unto Sathan the World or my sensuality any Tribute of Sin and procure for me a happy passage from this my earthly Pilgrimage to the Heavenly Paradise there to offer up to your Son and You an Eternall Tribute of prayse and benediction Amen 6. The sixth Exercise may be that of Penance and Mortification by discreetly taking a Disciplin or wearing some harsh thing upon the bare skin c at certain times of the year according to each ones strength of body and the counsell of his Ghostly Father reciting upon such day 's seaven times the Salve Regina in memory of the blessed Virgins seven sorrows and adding this Prayer taken out of St. Peter Damian O my most glorious Lady the Mirror of purity and pattern of all vertu I wretched Sinner do most humbly acknowledg that I have higly offended your Son and You by the foolish and besotted liberty of my body and soul and therefore having now no other Refuge left me I here prostrate my heart before you O my compassionate Mother bequeathing my self unto you in quality of a Bond-slave and submitting my whol self to your holy Empire and command Curb I beseech you this rebellious body of mine receive this contumacious and stubborn heart and let not your Mercy reject me a sinner since your Immaculate Virginity brought forth the Author of all Piety 7. The seaventh Exercise may be these sublim Elevations following which may be divided into severall parts and recited according to each ones opportunity and devotion ELEVATIONS TO GOD AND ADORATIONS To the thrice holy Trinity In honour of the share he was pleas'd to give unto the Virgin Mary in the Mystery of the Incarnation effecting it in her and by her and to honour the most holy Virgin in that Dignity of being Gods Mother And to offer our selves to her in the state of Dependencie and servitude which is due unto her upon this title and to correspond by our inward devotion to the speciall Power which she hath over us by consequence of this her divin and admirable Maternitie 1. Adoration of the Sacred Trinity SAcred Trinity Adorable in your self and in your works I praise Admire and Adore you in the Unity of your Essence in the Equality of your Persons in the Profundity of your wisdom in the Extent of your Providence and in that your Work of Works which makes God Man and a Virgin Gods Mother 2. The Greatness of the Mystery of the Incarnation WORK Ineffable Admirable Incomprehensible Work only worthy the power and greatness of the Worker Work The chief of your works the Originall of your Mysteries the Sampler of your Greatnesses and the Sun of your Mervails Work which incloseth your Essence is terminated by one of your Persons and produces the most Eminent dignity which was ever brought forth into a Being out of the Divinity 3. Which is so Eminent a Work AND this Work so great so rare so Eminent was don in a Moment yet not for a Moment but for an Eternity This Work is done in time yet not for a time but for an ever and ever This Work is don in Nazareth yet not for Nazareth but for the whol universe This Work is don on Earth not in Heaven but 't is done both for Earth and for Heaven This Work is don amongst men but 't is done for Angells for Men and for the God of Gods For it gives a Mother to God a King to Angels and to Men a Saviour 4. And the chief work ad extra of the Divinity 'T IS the Head-work of your hands O Divin Admirable and Adorable Trinity which imitates and expresses the Life the Communication the Society which we Adore in the divin Persons For you who Work all things for your self and in contemplating your self would in this Work imprint an Idea of your self would in the honour of your own life and communication which is divin and eternall make a life and communication divin and temporall would enter into society and communication with your creatures to Imitate and honour the communication and Society which is in your persons would in a fair Resemblance seem to match the force of your inward love and internall communication in this outward effusion of love and externall communication out of your own Essence And making choice of your lowest creature would enter into league into communication into unity with men by singularly imparting your self and peculiarly associating your self to one human nature and to one human Person To one human nature by the Incarnation of one of your Persons To one human Person by the Operation of your three Persons who in the greatest of their Works would in a manner enter Society with the Virgin 5. The mystery of the Incarnation is divided between the sacred Trinity and the Virgin O Infinit condescendency The Three divin Persons living and acting in perfect unity eternally happy and compleatly content in their own mutuall Society will extend this Society to a new person and being to operate jointly the Head-work of their Power and Bounty will associate the Virgin to themselv's in this their greatest operation in that for the full accomplishment of their own glory love and greatness being to conjoyn the Created Being with the Being Increated in one of their Persons and to give it a new nature they would share the Glory of this great work between the Virgin and themselves and making choyce of her amongst all Creatures they made her worthy and capable to give together with themselv's this new Nature and to be Mother of the word Incarnate thus elevating a human Person to such a pitch of Power and to so high a Prerogative and conferring on it so great a part in so great a Mystery Blessed be you O sacred Trinity in this your divin will and holy Councill which makes the Son of God Mans Son and which makes a Virgin Gods Mother Highest Councill therfore worthy the
most high Profoundest Councill therfore worthy the Fathers Majesty the Sons Wisdom and the Holy Ghosts love and affection 6. The Person of the Virgin next the divin Persons is the most worthy and greater than all human and Angelicall Persons together IN contemplation of this Councill and this work Permit me Lord to address unto you my devout Vows and Elevations concerning this quality which you establish in Heaven and on Earth by the sacred Mystery of your Incarnation Quality of Mother to the most high And give me leave to trace your divin and admirable ways in the managing of this work with my humble thoughts and devotions You herein O Great Creatour do associate the sacred Virgin unto your own self you Elevate her up to work with your self and even to work the work of your works And as you associate a Human nature to one of your Divin Persons you will also associate a Human Person to one of your Divin works Contemplating therfore this work O sacred Trinity and there finding this Virgin in Society with your self I look on her love her and reverence her as a Person the most high the most holy and the most worthy of your love and greatness that ever shall have a Being yea I contemplate and respect her as the only She who surpasses in Height in Holiness in Dignity even all Human and Angelicall Spirits together and unitedly considered 7. The Virgin constitutes an Order Empire and Vniverse apart MOreover you O sacred Trinity made her singly for your self you have made her as a World and a Paradise apart World of Greatnesses and Paradise of delights for the New-Man who was to come into the world you have made her as a new Heaven and a new Earth Earth which only bears the Man-God And Heaven which contains none but himself alone which turnes not but about him alone which moves not but for him alone You have made her in the Universe as another Universe And in your Empire as another Empire For the sacred Virgin is her self a Universe which hath its different center and motions The sacred Virgin is her self an Empire which hath its distinct Laws and Estate The sacred Virgin amongst all the subjects of Gods Divin Majesty is so great so particular so eminent a subject that it alone maks a new Order amongst the orders of his power and wisdom Order surpassang all the Orders of Grace and of Glory Order altogether singular making and carrying a new Empire over Gods works Order which is conjoyn'd to the order and state of Hypostaticall union Order which hath a direct Reference to the divin Persons For as the Angells are dispos'd into Hierarchies properly relating to the Divin Essence according to its distinct perfections and attributes of love of Power of light c. So also the sacred Virgin in her Order and in her Hierarchie which she solely fills with her Greatness beholds and honours the state and the proprieties of the Divin Persons Thus the God of Heaven who hath unity of Essence and plurality of Persons hath divided the Celestiall Court into two different Quires In one of which all the Angells which in number are almost Infinit and which are ranged in their severall Orders and Hierarchies behold according to their Estate the distinct Perfections of the Divin Essence In the other the Virgin alone in her Order by an Excellency peculiar to her self alone beholds according to her new Estate the divin Persons as depending on their Personall Proprieties And this sole Quire of the sacred Virgin renders more homage both to the divin Essence and to the divin Persons than the Nine Quires of all the Angells together 8. The Virgin is a singular work of Gods Power the holiest that ever shall be created The divin Paternity is the Samplar of this divin Maternity The Eternal Father and the Son are tyed by the Person of the Holy Ghost and the Eternall Father and the Virgin are tyed by the Person of the Son O God O All-powerfull Father who can express how this Virgin is to you pretious and acceptable You frame her and sanctify her to be the Mother of your only Son whom you will Incarnate in the world and you form her in the orders of Nature of Grace and of Glory as a singular work of your Power and Bountie and the head-work of your hands You fashion her as the greatest the worthiest the eminentest subject of your Domination and soveraignty in the whol round and Circumference of all your Creatures For in the Order and Existency of all created Entities God commands not nor ever will command any thing greater than this greatest Virgin God hath not yet made nor will hereafter make any thing more Holy than this Holyest Virgin O how highly is she then to be Reverenc'd in this Eminency and singularity of Grace of Sanctity of Power Yet O Eternall Father I again Reverence her in the Origin of this Grace which is the design you have to make her a Mother to him to whom your self is a Father For after you had conducted her to the accomplish'd point of a singular Grace you being at your chosen time to enter a neer Alliance with her separate her from all things created you seat her close to your Divinity and you unite your self to her as to a Person whom you will have the most intimately and neerly conjoyn'd to your own peculiar Person of all that ever shall have a Being And she is thus joyn'd to you to co-operate with you in this Great work to render you the fruit of so close an alliance to give you a son born of her substance and having your Essence and to produce by you and with you Him who being your only Son is also her Son by a new Nativity O Ineffable Greatness O Admirable sublimity The Eternall Father who contemplating his own Essence produceth his Son contemplating his own Paternity Source of all Paternity yea source even of the Divinity honours it Imitates it and expresseth it in the holy Virgin and forms and produces in her this admirable Estate of Divin Maternity which Adores the Father in his Personall Propriety and which gives him to the Father and to the world who is the life of the Father and the health of the world 'T is in this happy great and gloria our Estate O sacred Virgin that the Eternall Father appropriates you to himself and himself to you Renders himself all yours and renders you all his own unites himself to you and you to himself And communicating to you his Spirit and his love makes you fruitfull with a divin fertility and being resolv'd to have of you One self-same Son with you makes you by this his Alliance to be Productrice to the world and to himself of Him who by this Birth according to the Angells saying is his Son and your Son together Your Son as issued from your own proper substance His Son as emanated from his own
and of your being her Son and likewise in the honour of this that she is the only one amongst all Creatures who hath this admirable estate and this singular relation to you and I humbly beg of you that in this quality you will vouchsafe me a share in your eternall way 's and mercyes AMEN A concluding Prayer to the sacred Virgin-Mother upon the same subject O Holy Virgin Mother of God! Queen of Men and Angels Mervail of Heaven and Earth I reverence you in all â—he ways that I can according to God that I should according to your own Greatness and according as your divin Son Christ Jesus our Lord would have you reverenc'd upon Earth and in Heaven I make to you an Oblation of my soul and my life and will belong to you for evermore and I will render you some particular Homage and Dependencie in all future time and Eternity O Mother of grace and mercy I make choyce of you for the Mother of my soul in honour of that choyce which God himself made of you for the Mother of his Son O Queen of Men and Angels I accept and acknowledg you for my Soveraign Mother in honour of that Dependency which my Saviour and my God had on you as upon his Mother And in this Quality I bequeath unto you all power over my soul and over my life as much as according to God I can bequeath it O sacred Virgin Mother look upon me as upon your own thing and in your goodness use me as the Subject of your power and as the Object of your pity O Source of Life Fountain of Grace Refuge of Sinners I have recourse unto you hoping therby to be freed from sin furnish'd with Grace and preserv'd from eternall Death O take me into your tuition let me have a part in your priviledges and obtain for me by your greatnesses and by this right of my appertaining to you that which I deserve not to obtain by reason of my offences and let the last hour of my Life that hour which is to decide my Eternity be in your hands in honour of that happy Moment of the Incarnation wherein God became Man and you were made Gods Mother O Virgin and O Mother both together O sacred Temple of the soveraign Deity O Mervail of Heaven and of Earth O glorious Mother of my God! I am yours by the generall Title of your greatness but I will be also yours by the particular Title of my own choyce and by this act of my own Free-will Wherefore I give my self wholly to you and to your only Son Christ Jesus my Lord and Saviour and I resolve to let pass no day without rendring to him and to you some particular homage and some speciall testification of this my dependency and servitude in which my desire is to dy and live for Evermore THE THIRD APPENDIX JOSEPH OR Devotions to S. Joseph the Glorious Husband of the Virgin Mary and reputed Father of Christ Jesus With Elevations unto him THE many Excellencies Priviledges and Prerogatives of Saint Joseph are largely deduced by severall Learned Writers Out of Whom these few following are selected wherupon to ground our Devotion to this great Saint and to lay a foundation for the ensuing affective Acts and Elevations 1. Saint Joseph was sanctifi'd in his Mothers womb Which favour seems in some sort due to him who was to have so neer a relation to the Word Incarnate the Source and Origin of all sanctity and who was design'd from all Eternity in the Conclave of the Adorable Trinity to be the President of Gods great Councill of State upon Earth the Angell Guardian of the Queen of Angells the reputed Father and the reall Fosterer Nurser Conductor and Governor of JESVS the worlds Messias and the Head of his holy Family Now since Gods Family consisted only of two Persons Jesus and Mary who were of more worth and dignity than all the rest of Heavenly and Earthly Creatures together it was convenient that He who was to govern them should also resemble them in Greatness Dignity and Sanctity and consequently that he should possess in some measure by an anticipated pardon of his Originall sin and by an advanced favour of sanctifying Grace that Puritie which the Son possessed by Nature and the Mother by Priviledge 2. He was the next after the sacred Virgin who made an express Vow and promise to God of Perpetuall virginity And this Resolution Intention and Promise both of Her and Him was reveal'd to each other respectively and renewed by them jointly before they were contracted together by formall Matrimony For how els could Blessed Mary who had oblig'd her self to virginall Integrity have consented either in Prudence or Justice to give the Power over her body to a person of whose Chastity she might be ignorant or doubtfull of his Constancie Surely the known Purity of her Chast Bridegroom gave her the confidence to treat and converse with him as securely as she did with the holy Seraphins 3. He no sooner perceiv'd his Blessed Spouse to be bigg with child but he cast about how he might handsomly retreat from her company not as harbouring the least doubt or distrust of her Innocency being more certain of her Invisible Chastity than of her visible appearing to be with child and knowing that it was more easy for a Virgin to conceive than for Mary to deceive him or distain her own honour But out of a deep and humble sense of his due respect towards her Son and her self as judging himself altogether unworthy to contemplate with his eyes and carry in his arms the Divin Word Incarnate and to converse intimately and familiarly with the glorious Mother of this God Man who was shorthly after to be born into the World 4. He govern'd Gods Family for above thirty years space As the Divin Providence hath establish'd three Orders in the World That of Nature that of Grace and that of Hypostaticall Vnion So he hath chosen and appointed three sorts of servants for the conduct and government of these Orders The Angells serve him in the order of Nature the Apostles in the order of Grace but he chose S. Joseph alone after the sacred Virgin to serve him in the third Order which is that of Jesus in the ineffable Mysterie of his Incarnation O the Excellency the Eminencie the Greatness of Saint Joseph O his honour and happyness to enjoy so long the Innocent embraces of Jesus in his Childhood The holy Entertainments of Jesus in his riper years The divin actions examples and instructions of Jesus in his perfect age And to live so long in company and conversation with the most holy and accomplish'd Princess that ever was 5. He together with his sacred Spouse circumcis'd Jesus in the Stable of Bethleem eight day 's after his Birth into the world and according to the divin Order and command which was signifi'd unto him by an Angelicall Messenger impos'd upon him that glorious
unite it unto you O Mary Poure out the milk of your Chast Breasts upon my heart by the impression of an humble piety and devotion upon it which may entirely sanctifie my Interiour O Joseph bestow on me the blessings of the Earth that is of your labours sweats and merits wherby the works of my hands may become prosperous and all my exteriour actions profitable and meritorious That honouring and loving you upon Earth O sacred Trinity JESUS MARIA JOSEPH I may enjoy your happy sight and presence O Jesu with Mary and Joseph in Heaven and there render due honour praife and glory to the Father Son and Holy Ghost one only God for all Eternity Amen THE FOURTH APPENDIX STATIONS Or a Catalogue of the Plenary Indulgences of the Stations of ROME AND FIRST Of the Stations in Advent Lent and other Moveable Feasts as they are set down in the Bulla Cruciata publisbed in the year 1612. ALL the Indulgences of the Stations of Rome are granted to the Members of the holy Rosary as is declared in the 13 sect Numb 11. page 103. of our first Book by visiting upon those days five Altars or one only if there be no more and reciting before each Altar five Paters and five Aves or Twenty Five before that one Altar Now the days of the Roman Stations upon which Plenary Indulgences are granted in Advent Lent and other moveable Feasts are these following The first Sunday in Advent at S. Maria Major The second Sunday at the holy Cross in Jerusalem and at S. Maria de Angelis The third Sunday at S. Peters Wednesday in Ember week at S. Maria Major Friday in Ember-week at the twelve Apostles Saturday in Ember-week at Saint Peters The fourth Sunday in Advent at the 12. Apostles Septuagesima Sunday at S. Laurence without the walls And a soul out of Purgatory Sexagesima Sunday at S. Paul Quinquagesima Sunday at Saint Peter Ashwensday at S. Sabina Thursday at S. George Friday at SS John and Paul Saturday at S. Tryphon The first Sunday in Lent at S. John Lateran Munday at S. Peter in Vinculis Tuesday at S. Anastasia and a soul out of Purgatory Wensday at S. Maria Major Thursday at S. Laurence in Panerperna Fryday at the twelve Apostles Saturday at S. Peter The second Sunday in Lent at S. Maria in Domnica and S. Maria Major Munday at S. Clement Tuesday at S. Balbina Wensday at S. Cecily Thursday at S. Maria trans Tyberim Fryday at S. Vitalis Saturday at S. Peter and Marcelline And a soul out of Purgatory The third Sunday in Lent at S. Laurence without the walls And a soul out of Purgatory Munday at S. Mark Tuesday at S. Pudentiana Wensday at S. Sixtus Thursday at SS Cosmus and Damianus Fryday at S. Laurence in Lucina Saturday at S. Susan and at S. Maria de Angelis The fourth Sunday in Lent at the holy Cross in Jerusalem and a soul out of Purgatory Munday at SS Quatuor Coronati Tuesday at S. Laurence in Damaso Wensday at S. Paul Thursday at S. Sylvester and at S. Martins in the Mount Friday at S. Eusebius Saturday at S. Nicholas in Carcere The fifth Sunday in Lent at Saint Peter Munday at S. Chrysogonus Tuesday at S. Cyriacus Wensday at S. Marcellus Thursday at S. Apollinaris Fryday at S. Stephen in Caelio monte And a soul out of Purgatory Saturday at S. John ante Portam Latinam And a soul of Purgatory Palm-Sunday at S. John Lateran Munday at S. Praxedes Tuesday at S. Pâ—…sca Wensday at S. Maria Major Thursday at S. John Lateran Fryday at the holy Cross and at S. Maria de Angelis Saturday at S. John Lateran Easter day at S. Maria Major Munday at S. Peter Tuesday at S. Paul Wensday at S. Laurence without the walls And a soul out of Purgatory Thursday at the twelve Apostles Fryday at S. Maria ad Martyres Saturday at S. John Lateran Low-Sunday at S. Pancratius Munday in Rogation week at S. Maria Major Tuesday at S John Lateran Wensday at S. Peter Ascension day at S. Peter Whitson-eve at S. John Lateran Whit-Sunday at S. Peter Munday at S. Peter in Vinculis Tuesday at S. Anastasia Wensday at S. Maria Major Thursday at S. Laurence without the walls And a soul out of Purgatory Fryday at the twelve Apostles Saturday at S. Peter And a soul out of Purgatory On the Feast of Corpus Christi and all the days within the Octave at S. Peter Wensday of the Ember-week in September at S. Maria Major Fryday at the twelve Apostles Saturday at S. Peter Plenary Indulgences which may be gain'd by them of the Rosary reciting twenty five Paters and Aves before five Altars or all before one as aforesaid upon such days of the Months as are here set down in order JANUARY 1. ON the Feast of the Circumcision and all the days within the Octave at S. Maria Trans Tyberim and at Ara Coeli 6. On the Feast of the Epiphany and all the days within the Octave at S. Peters 17. At S. Anthony the Abbot 18. At S. Peter and also at S. Prisca 20. At S. Sebastians 21. At S. Agnes 25. At S. Paul 27. At S. John Chrysostom and at Ara coeli 31. At the holy Crossin Jerusalem FEBRUARY 2. PUrification of the Virgin Mary And a soul out of Purgatory at S. Maria Major S. Maria de Pace S. Maria de Angelis and S. Maria Inviolata 3. At S. Blase A soul out of Purgatory 22. Chair of S. Peter at S. Peters 24. S Mathias at S. Matthew the Apostle 26. At S. Constantia a Chappell in the Church of S. Agnes MARCH UPon all the Frydays in March at S. Peter a Plenary Indulgence 7. S. Thomas of Aquin at the Minerva 12. At S. Peter and at S. Gregory 19. At S. Josephs 21. At S. Bennets 25. Upon the Feast of the Annunciation and all the days within the Octave at the Minerva and at the Annunciate APRILL 23. AT S. George 25. Upon S. Marks day at S. Peters 29. Being the Feast of S. Peter Martyr of the Order of S. Dominick at the Minerva MAY. UPon all the Sundays of this Month at S. Sebastians a Plenary 1. At SS Philip and Jacob. 3. At Holy Cross in Jerusalem 6. At S. John Lateran where all so from this day untill the 6. of August there is a speciall Station with a Plenary and a soul out of Purgatory 8. The Apparition of S. Michael at S. Maria Major 19. S. Peter Celestin at S. Maria Major 20. S. Bernardin at S. Maria de Ara coeli 21. At S. Helena JUNE 11. AT S. Barnabie the Apostle 13. S. Anthony of Padua at S. Maria de Ara coeli 24. At S. John Lateran 29. At S. Peters 30. Commemoration of S. Paul JULY 2. THE Visitation of our Blessed Lady and all the days within the Octave at S. Maria de populo and S. Maria de Pace 14. S. Bonaventure at S. Maria de Aracoeli 17. At S. Alexius 22. At
I leave and loose thee for filthy pleasures frail creatures fond friendships fading honors No my dear Lord Be pleased rather to take my Soul out of my body than your love out of my Soul Let me rather dy miserably than sin mortally Let me pass on the rest of my pilgrimage in your grace and fear that I may fiâ—ish it in your friendship and favour Grant me this I beseech you O meek and mercifull Saviour by the merits of your bitter Death and Passion by the intercession of your most blessed Mother by the suffrages of all your holy Saints in Heaven and happy Souls upon Earth Upon all which relying as upon the Anchors of my Hope I absolutely commit and resign my self to your sacred disposition and providence for time and eternity fully trusting that you will marcifully pardon all my sins carefully assist me in all my wants and weaknesses and in the end happily bring me to your Eternall bliss and beatitude by such means as your divin Wisdom knows most expedient for me 3. Then offer up your devotions for the generally recommended ends and intentions in all the Concessions of Indulgences which are specified page 94. of the first Book 4. And whilst you Vocally recite the twenty five Paters and Aves you may mentally reflect upon some one of the Fifteen Mysteries as they are set down in the Rosary of the sacred Name of Jesus dividing the same into three days Stations after this manner Upon the First day meditate upon the Five Mysteries of our Blessed Redeemers Life and Incarnation which are briefly and pithily comprehended in these verses 1. Christ's Incarnation THe Throne and Foot-stool meet Heav'n Cling's to Earth The All conspires to this All-saving Birth Dear Partner of our weakness since we see Thy self made us Oh! change us into thee Five Paters and five Aves 2. His Nativity SEE the fair Sun of Glory doth arise In the dark Midnight of our miseries Sad Clouds of Tears Woes â—'advance our Good Dim his bright Birth but ah hee 'll set in Blood Five Paters and five Aves 3. His Circumcision HEre Innocence whose unstain'd Purity White Robes best sute wears Crimson's guilty Dy. Enough dear Lord Mankind is richly won Oh no these drops a deluge but fore-run Five Paters and five Aves 4. His Finding in the Temple RVn joyfull Mother to embraces run Doctors have found their Master Thou thy Son Lord Consecrate my Heart thy House Of Prayer And I shall find thee wisely teaching there Five Paters and five Aves 5. His Baptism DO Baptist with thy puddled Jordan try To Wash this Spring of spotles Purity Command doth with Presumption dispence Pride is not Pride vouch't by Obedience Five Paters and five Aves and one Creed Gloria Patri Filio Spiritui Sancto c. O Jesu Christ the Son of David have mercy upon us Upon the second day take for your Meditation the five Mysteries of our Blessed Redeemers Death and Passion 1. The washing of his Disciples feet THeir God on knee such sordid work in 's hand Heav'n and th'Apostles both amazed stand Ah! my Affections Feet unto my Soul Thus wash't thus wip't how can you still be soul Five Paters and five Aves 2. The Prayer in the Garden HEav'ns Floud-gates are all ope each widen'd pore Is made a purple sluce Griefs painfull dore Sin drown'd the Earth once in a watry Flood And now drowns Heav'n but ah in Gods own Blood Five Paters and five Aves 3. Christs Apprehension in the Garden SMall cords rude hands on all sides bind th'Immense Twin'd flax doth pinion weak Omnipotence Philistins now seccure Samson invade His greatest strength by 's greater love 's betrayd Five Paters and five Aves 4. His carrying of the Cross THus burthen'd and thus faint See how he droops Under our load of sin Heav'ns Bearer stoops Riddle of Grief which pain afflicted more When th'Cross bore thee or thou bor'st it before Five Pater and five Aves 5. His Descent into Hell REstore thy Prey proud Hell Thy Conquerors sight Breaks sins stiff chains puts thy dark shades to flight Gives the joy-ravisht soul new wings of Love With their triumphant Lord to mount above Five Paters and five Aves and one Creed Gloria Patri Filio Spiritui Sancto c. O JESU of Nazareth King of the Jews have mercy upon us Upon the third day take for your Meditation the five Glorious Mysteries of our Blessed Redeemer 1. His Resurrection FAir earnest of our second life this day Glory reviv'd with a new-burnisht ray Cheer up my drooping Soul thou shalt not dy Thy Lord hath earn'd thee Immortality Five Pater and five Aves 2. His Ascension TAke wing my earth-clogg'd-mind and fly along With thy great king ' mongst this heaven'n-soaring-throng And ere thy self return'st to sojourn here Leave with thy Lord thy best affections there Five Paters and five Aves 3. His sending of the Holy Ghost BLest Fire Fount Breath enkindle wash inspire Our Wills Hearts Thoughts with Love Grace pure desire Souls Life Gods Finger Gift revive work win Our flesh sense love to Spirit to Grace from sin Five Paters and five Aves 4. The Crowning of the Virgin Mary and the Saints WInter's ore-blown calm Blisse's endless Spring Charms the glad Birds of Paradise to sing Your Eyes shall know no tears your Face no frown Partakers of my Cross partake my Crown Five Paters and five Aves 5. The Coming to the last Iudgment GReat Day th' Accomplisher of Bliss of Woe Exprest by a joyfull COME and dreadfull GOE Rise guilty Dust and hear though thou bee'st loath At once thy Summons and thy Sentence both Five Paters and five Aves and one Creed Gloria Patri Filio Spiritui Sancto Sicut erat in principio c. O Jesu Christ the Son of the liuing God Have mercy upon us FINIS The generall Table briefly containing the substance of the whol work THE Epistle Dedicatory to the sacred Virgin Mary A Marian Kalender or Catalogue of Saints of the holy Order of S. Bennet devoted to the Blessed Virgin together with her severall Festivities usually celebrated by her faithfull Rosarists The Prefects Oration which shews 1o. Mans naturall inclination to Society Page 3 Christ our Saviour establish'd and commanded it 4 The Primitive Church practised it 5 All succeeding Ages imitated it 6 The Prayses of pious Societies and Confraternities 7 And particularly of this of the sacred Rosary 10 A Digression of our B. Lady's Title of Power 17 S Dominick the beginner of the Rosary 21 Blessed Alanus the Restorer of its decayd use The Greatness of our glorious Mother Mary 22 The dignity to be of her family 24 The profits thereof express'd in five Particulars 26 The duty of the Rosarists in six particulars 35 The first Book of the Rosary which is the Doctrinall part thereof page 44 § 1. That every faithfull Christian ought to have a particular devotion towards Gods holy Mother 47 1. Because she
the Blessed Virgin 548 5. The Practises and Exercises of this Devotion of the Bondage being seven in number 550 Elevations to God and Adorations to the thrice Holy Trinity In honour of the Share he was pleased to give unto the sacred Virgin Mary in the Mystery of the Incarnation Effecting it in her and by her And to honour the most holy Virgin in that her high dignity of being Gods Mother and to offer our selv's to her in the state of Dependency and servitude which is due to her upon this title and to correspond by our Interiour Devotion to the speciall Power which she hath over us by consequence of this divin and admirable Maternity 560 1. Adoration of the Sacred Trinity 560 2. Greatness of the Mystery of the Incarnation 561 3. Which is so eminent a work 561 4. And the chief work ad extra of the Divinity 562 5. And it is divided between the Sacred Trinity and the Virgin 563 6. The Person of the Virgin next the Divin Persons is most worthy and greater than all human and angelicall Persons together 565 7. The Virgin constitutes an Order Empire and Vnivers apart 566 8. She is a singular work of Gods Power the Holyest that ever shall be created The Divin Paternity is the Samplar of this Divin Maternity The Eternall Father and the Son are tyed by the Person of the Holy Ghost and the Eternall Father and the Virgin are tyed by the Person of the Son 568 9. The Eternall Word who is in Society with the Father and Holy Ghost before all time doth in time enter league and Society with the Virgin 573 10. Oblation and Donation to the Son and the Mother in quality of Bondslaves 574 11. Enlargement and Explication of this Donation with the particulars thereof 575 12. This Oblation tends to the honour of the Virgins Elevation and Depressions in the Mystery of the Incarnation 577 13. In the Virgin all is great and particularly Her Maternity Her Soveraignty Her Sanctity 579 14. It is a small matter that we make our selv's the Virgins Bondslaves and therefore we desire her to employ her Power to make us truly so 583 A concluding Prayer to the sacred Virgin Mother upon the same subject 585 The third Appendix JOSEPH or Devotions to Saint Joseph the Glorious Husband of the Virgin MARY and reputed Father of CHRIST JESUS with Elevations unto him 588 Twelve Excellencies Priviledges and Prerogatives of S. JOSEPH related out of Josephus a Jesu Maria and Joannes a Carthagena who largely prove the same and many more by force of reasons and authority of the Fathers 589 A short Rosary in the honour of S. Joseph containing the principall Mysteries of his life distinguish'd into Five Tens or Decades whereof the first is of his Election 596 The second of his Place Office and dignity 599 The third of his Flight into Egypt 60â— The fourth of his return form Egypt and of his Death 60â— The fifth of his Glory 605 Elevations to S. Joseph to 〈◊〉 God in him and him in God in his â—…nity of being the reputed Faâ—… 〈…〉 Word Incarnate and the Bridegroom of the Blessed Virgin Mary 608 Elevations to the sacred Trinity upon Earth JESUS MARIA JOSEPH In honour and homage to the Glorious Trinity in Heaven The Father Son and Holy Ghost 612 The Fourth Appendix Stations or a Catalogue of the Plenary Indulgences of the Stations of Rome 620 First of the Stations in Advent Lent and other Moveable Feasts 621 Secondly of the Stations fix'd to the days of the year 625 with the Practicall manner of performing the said Stations 632 FINIS The Principall Errors of the Press are thus easily corrected with a Pen. PAge 3. line 13. his read this p. 25. l. 7. exculded r. excluded p. 35. l. 29. favourite r. favourits p. 37. l. 1. dow r. down p. 52. l. 30. must r. most p. 54. l. 14. Patoness r. Patroness p. 96. l. 7.27 r. 17. p. 96. l. 8. 1559. r. 1569. p. 96. l. 24. 1559. r. 1569. p. 101. l. 16. out to r. out of p. 118. l. 6. iminenâ— r. imminent p. 125. l. 28. gloriosi r. gloriosè p. 132. l. 2. remisnem r. remissionem p. 195. l. 4. aad r. and. pâ— 197. l. 14. and umiracle r. and miracle p. 211. l. 14. unknow r. unknown p. 237. l. 1. amd r. and. p. 255. l. 9. to will r. to his will p. 264. l. 2. Dialated r. Dilated p. 288. l. 30. wherewith r. where with p. 369. l. 24. shed r. shee l p. 372. l. 19. Caiaphas r. Caiphas p. 379. l. 23. shed r. shee l p. 390. l. 26. oodness r. goodness p. 437. l. 12. of of r. of p. 460. l. 30. evelasting r. everlasting p. 516. l. 13. an ds r. and as p. 598. l. 1. of Incarnation r. of the Incarnation p. 623. l. 30. soul of r. soul out of
of certain spirituall exercises tending to the common end of our Creation the fervour and good examples of his faithfull Associats warm his Tepidity excite his Piety and add the continuall fewell of courage and constancy to his holy Resolutions according to that saying of the Wiseman Si unus ceciderit fulcietur ab altero c. where many are united together if one falls he may be rais'd up by his fellow and if one be assaulted two may be able to repulse the adversary For Funiculus triplex difficile rumpitur A triple cord says he is not easily broken And one man alone is as a small single slender threed feeble frail and easily pash'd in peeces but being twisted and ty'd to many others by the strong bands of a spirituall friendship he becoms formidable to all his Infernall Enemyes And this by reason of the mutuall succour of their multipli'd prayers and merits according to that pithy expression of Saint Ambrose Dum singuli orant pro omnibus sequitur ut omnes orent pro singulis When as every single person pray's for all it follows that all pray for every single person Now though generally in all confraternities there is a Communication of prayers merits and spirituall goods yet not in all alike And this is the particular point wherein this Arch-Confraternity of the Rosary seems to excell all others In which according to their severall Institutes Approbations Intentions this participation of Prayers and Communitie of Merits is confin'd to some certain place where they are receiv'd and to that congregation whereof they are children and members Whereas the Brethren and Sisters of this Arch-confraternitie being any where receiv'd are every where priviledg'd and who so is inroll'd in this Book of our Blessed Lady of Power is forthwith made a happy partaker of all their spirituall perfections who are registred in Rome in Paris in any place of the whole universe The learned Doctor Navar gives the reason hereof Because says he this Communication is express'd and declar'd in the Statuts Erections and Confirmations of this Confraternity without which particular expression they could not enjoy that speciall priviledg For confraternities are certain associations of severall people together In societatem autem non veniunt nisi bona expressa say the Jurists In Societies there is no farther communication of any goods amongst the associated persons than only of such as are express'd in the contract of association Therefore proceeds this famous Canonist Hanc communicationem universalem ipse tanto magis suspicio quanto minus memini logere per aliarum Confratriarum Statuta esse similem factam I set a higher price upon this Confraternity by reason of this universall Communication for that I remember not to have read the like in the constitutions of any other Confraternity Besides this Priviledge which gives the Confraternity of the Rosary a precedency before all its collateralls and which is thus briefly here insisted upon not to obscure their lustre but to blazon its own splendor there is yet another in which it also much more surpasses all other confraternities whatsoever Which is The vast Treasure of Indulgences conferr'd upon it by the prime Pastors of the Church there having been no Pope since Sixtus quartus who hath not liberally layd open the Churches Store-house to enrich the sacred Rosary and added new benefits to his predecessors bounty as will apear by the sequall of this discourse §. 11. Of Indulgences in generall BEfore we give in the large Catalogue of Indulgences it may be very convenient to declare the nature reason and ground of all Indulgences with as much brevity and plainess as is possible for their information whose capacities cannot reach the intelligence of School-Divinity It is therefore an assured Tenet amongst all Orthodox Authors as is elsewhere largly declared in our Oration of Indulgences and may be abundantly prov'd by many express'd passages of Holy Writ That when our Mercifull Creator pardons the fault of a converted sinner he doth not always remit the punishment which he hath thereby deserved Adam and Eve the first sinners and the first Penitents were surely pardon'd and yet severely punish'd for neither was he restored to the priviledg of Immortality nor she exempted from the pangs of childing God pardon'd his Idolatrous people by the interecession of Moyses but bids them expect to be punish'd in the day of his revenge Nathan declar'd King David absolv'd from his Adultery and yet God visited him for the chastisement of the same crime with many rigorous adversities Our Originall Sin is remitted in Baptism and yet our understandings remain still punish'd with ignorance our wills with malice and all the faculties of our bodyes and souls with sensualitie and Rebellion against our Reason From which and other infinit examples we must needs infer That when the fault is pardon'd the punishment is not always relaxed and consequently That after our Reconciliation to the Divin Mercy by our due Contrition Confession and Conversion we are still liable to make satisfaction to the Divin Justice This then being suppos'd as most certain First That whosoever offends God mortally on the one side committs a fault and on the other side contracts an Obligation to satisfie for it which are called culpa and poena Secondly That the Fault may be pardon'd by Confession and the penaltie by Penance and satisfaction either in this World or in the next Thirdly That few in this world either do or can fulfill that penance which their sins deserve Hence it is That every sinner stands in need of some forraign assistance to warrant him from the flames of Purgatory in which he must pay Usque ad ultimum quadrantem Even to the last farthing who hath not payd it in this world And this Assistance must necessarily be deriv'd unto us from the superabundant merits of our Blessed Redeemer whose precious Blood Death and Passion is the prime source of all Christians merit and satisfaction Now say our learned Divins The same blood of our Saviour which hath merited for us a Remission of our crimes and a Reconciliation to Gods favour is also applyed to us for the relaxation of our deserv'd punishments By four manners of means First By means of the Sacraments Secondly By means of some Heroique Act of Charitie such as is Martyrdom c. Thirdly By means of satisfactory works done in the state of Grace such as are Almesdeeds Fasting and Prayer Fourthly by the means of Indulgences The First three are the Ordinary means whereby our Redeemers Satisfactions are apply'd unto us The last of Indulgences is the extraordinary means whereby they are also apply'd unto us either by our Saviour himself immediatly or by him instrumentally who is intrusted with this power by our Saviours own concession express'd in these words Tibi dabo claves Regni Coelorum c. I will give to thee O Peter the Keys of my heavenly Kingdom Whatsoever thou shalt bind upon Earth shall be