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
disputing amongst the Doctors Luke 2. In Seas of joy the Virgins breast was drownd When Jesus lost she in the Temple found Our Father c. The Blessed Virgin-Mother exceedingly rejoyced 1. At the sight of her new-found Son FOr when the child Jesus was twelve years old his Parents went up with him to perform their Devotions in the Temple of Jerusalem where they lost him for three days space sought him up and down with many tears and at last found him amongst the Doctors O the Joy of their hearts at this happy sight For the sweetest comforts spring from precedent sorrows now their sorrows were proportionable to their loss and consequently their Joy was correspondent to the affection they bore their blessed Son first possessed then lost and now retriv'd again Hail Mary 2. At the Hearing of his Learning and Wisdom For they found him not playing idling sleeping but discoursing of the Law disputing with the Doctors proposing questions to the Priests and resolving their difficulties with such readiness and dexterity that all the Auditors were astonish't at so ripe an understanding in such tender years Hail Mary 3. At the fulfilling of that Propheticall saying I Wisedom dwell with Counsell and am present amongst learned cogitations WHich passage S. Vincent explicates literally of this prefence of our Lord JESUS amongst the Priests and Doctors Hail Mary 4. At her first conference with him after She had found him WHen with heart brim-full of Joy She brake forth into these expressions O my dear Son Why have you dealt thus with us not making me your so tenderly affectionat Mother acquainted with your stay which was no rebuke but a certain loving complaint for his long absence Behold your Putative Father and I have sought you out with sorrow fearing you might fall into the hands of Archelaus the Son of Herod and Heir of his cruelty as well as of his Kingdom Hail Mary 5. At his Mysticall Answer unto her FOr He mildly and modestly teply'd And why O Mother did you so carefully seek after me Know you not that I must be about my heavenly Fathers business whereof one part is to instruct the ignorant and instill into their hearts the hidden Intelligence of his Law Hail Mary 6. At the Instruction couched in his reply FOr though at first She understood him not by reason of the excess of Joy in having found him yet reflecting afterwards upon his words She well perceiv'd he was now even in his tender age setting forward that great work of mans conversion Redemption Salvation which he was in his riper age to compleat and perfect Hail Mary 7. At his return with her to Nazareth FOr he immediatly leaving the Doctors company and yeilding to his Mothers summons went down with his Parents to their dwelling-house in Nazareth Hail Mary 8. At his humble Obedience and Subjection FOr the sacred Gospell tells us He was subject unto them Hail Mary 9. At the consideration of her own happiness dignity and excellency TO wit That He should become thus voluntarily subject to her command to whose beck both her self and all creatures were necessarily subject and obedient Hail Mary 10. At the delicious conservation of all his words and actions in her heart FOr so the sacred Pen-man of the holy Ghost informes us His Mother kept all these sayings conferring them in her heart To the end she might by her daily and diligent study reflection and meditation dive into the meaning of what she yet understood not and take joy and comfort in what she understood 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 Blessed JESU who for reasons best known to your own divin Wisdom and all-disposing providence would be thus lost sought and found by your Parents in Jerusalem amongst the Doctors in the Temple Grant that I may never lose your Grace Favour and Friendship by following my own irregular appetites passions and affections by yeilding to wordly vanities allurements enchantments by consenting to Satans suggestions temptations delusions But if through Ignorance negligence carelesness or any other motive whatsoever I shall unhappily chance to be depriv'd of your sweet presence in my interiour Excite me O mercifull Saviour to seek you out diligently speedily mournfully during the three days space of this my lives Pilgrimage by perfect Contrition pure Confession entire Satisfaction that so I may at last joyfully find and see you in your Celestiall Jerusalem sitting on your Fathers right hand amidst your Angels and Saints in the Temple of your Eternall Glory O Jesu The rare Patern of perfect Obedience Humility and all vertues you are the All-powerfull God and you obey poor man you are the Soveraign Creatour and you submit to your own Creature you are the Supreme Monarch of both worlds and you are subject to your Handmaid Mary And shall any Christian remain any longer rebellious refractory disobedient to his Parents to his Superiors or to any other just authority Be asham'd proud dust and ashes God humbles himself and wilt thou exalt thy self He obeys men and dost thou desire to domineer over them Is not this directly to prefer thy self before thy soveraign Lord and Maker But o sacred Virgin Mother How singular is your Priviledge To have him subject to you whom all human and Ang licall nature reverences and adores O my soul Admire both and make choyce of which thou wilt chiefly admire Either the Sons stupendious condescention or the Mothers excellent dignity Both are mervailous both miraculous That God should obey a Woman is a Humility beyond all Example That a woman should command God is a Height beyond all comparison O good Jesu How doth my Soul languish when I have lost you and how reproachfully doth my conscience cry out unto me Where is thy God And yet Alas I seek you not with due sorrow and diligence because I love you not with true fervour and devotion O loving Mother of Jesus Had I the least spark of that sincere affection you bore your blessed Son How sensible should I be of my sad loss How seriously should I seek to retrive it But ah my misery That is lost without much grief which was possess'd without any great joy and therfore I find not my loss because I feel no love and finally I feel no love because I reflect not faithfully upon my Redeemers reall worth and value And yet what is there considerable or desirable in Heauen or Earth in comparison of sweet Jesus O my Lord my love my lot and my portion for time and Eternity Dart one Efficacious beam of your divin light into my dull dark and desolate Soul that I may see your greatness to the end I may love your goodness and that truly loving you I may willingly leave all to look after you contentedly forfeit all to find you and having found you I may be more faithfull
not depart from your heart and that you may obtain relief by her intercession swerve not from the example of her conversation following her you stray not calling upon her you despair not thinking on her you err not she holding you fall not she protecting you fear not she guiding you faint not How properly then O children of Mary do we entitle our Mother Powerfull since says our learned and devout Doctor Damian the Almighty hath so highly priviledg'd her with all Power in Heaven and Earth in so much as she makes her addresses to the sacred Altar of our reconciliation non solum rogans sed etiam imperans Domina non ancilla Not onely entreating but also commanding as a Mistris not a handmaid wherefore I conclude this digression with the mellifluous Saint Bernard whatsoever you desire to offer up to the divin Majesty be sure to deposit it in Mary's hands that so your oblation may ascend to the source of Grace by the same channell whereby grace descended unto you Not but that our Creator can easily distill the dews of his grace without the mediation of this Channell by what other means he best pleaseth but he would mercifully provide this powerfull help for you and therefore take speciall care to place in Marye's powerfull and gratefull hands whatsoever petition you desire to prefer to her divin Son if you will not have it to miscarry and receive a denyall And now returning to the prosecution of my intended purpose Though the generall devotion of all faithfull Christians towards the sacred Virgin Mary is as ancient as our faith and Christianity themselves she being constituted the Churches Mother by the bequest of her blessed Son when he uttered these words to St. John as his last will and testament on the Cross Son Behold thy Mother Nor did ever yet any true Catholique acknowledging God for his Father and Christ Jesus for his Brother exclude Mary from being his Mother yet this particular manner of honouring her this pious Method of praying to her this our Confraternity of the sacred Rosary had its first rise and institution from the glorious St. Dominick about four hundred years since and its decayed use was zealously renewed by the Blessed Father Alanus de Rupe about two hundred years past as the Ecclesiastical Histories largely declare which being obvious to every ones perusall and I hastning to other matters which are to us of more importance purposely pass over that I may come to the performance of my first promise and proposition which is to declare the Dignity of the Rosary and the Duty of us who are of it The Masters greatness says Salomon redounds to the servants glory and the Parents honour to the renown of the children Since therefore you O devout Rosarists have as befits humble servants made choyce of so high a Mistris and as beseems good children have promised loyaltie to so Honourable a Mother great surely is your glory your honour your happiness A Mistriss of such Majesty A Mother of such excellency that the sole consideration of her greatness and goodness is a sufficient charm to engage the whol world in her service to contain all Christians in their filial duty and affection I have already given you a glimps in generall of your Mistrâ—sses and Mothers greatnesses priviledges and prerogatives and to descend to the particular mention of all the honourable titles high qualities admirable epithets which heaven and earth Angells and Men the Scripture and the Church bestow upon this Blessed Virgin were to write whol volumes not to recite a succinct Oration She is represented by the Tree of life in the Terrestriall Paradise by the Ark of Noah upon the waves of the Deluge by the Tabernacle of the Testament made of incorruptible materialls signifying her virginity her purity her impeccability by the Ark of the Covenant which contained the tables of the Commamdements as she did their Author She is prefigured by the Altar of Perfumes the types of her odoriferous vertues by the golden Candlestick She bearing him who is the True Light of the World By the Gate of Heaven in the Prophets By Jacobs Ladder in Genesis By the Valiant Woman in the Proverbs By the Ever burning never consuming Bush in Exodus By the Hill elevated on the Mountain top in Isay By the Citie of God whereof such wonders are spoken in the Psalms By the sweet smelling Balsome the still flourishing Cypress upon Mount Sion The ever flowing vein of Honey The fair Olive of the fields The Lilly amongst the thorns The Rose of Jericho The Palm of Cades The Royall Throne of Salomon The strong Tower of David The Fleece of Gedeon The miraculously flourishing Rod of Aâ—ron The Eastern Gate of Paradice The Angell qualifies her full of Grace The wise-man abounding with delights The Spouse a Garden of pleasure The Gospell the mother of Jesus The Church the exemplar of Perfection Heaven the Queen of the Vniverse Earth the Phoenix of Mankind and all the World the Fountain of their felicity The Celestiall Spirits acknowledg her for their Empress the Apostles for their Mistris the Martyrs for their Mirrour the Confessors for their Pattern the Virgins for their Glory all Christians for their powerfull Patroness and Advocate Judg now O faithfull Rosarists by these few mentioned Titles of the miraculous Excellency Greatness Glory Dignity of her to whose honour you have dedicated your hearts your loves your lives your services Surely you cannot but joyfully confess with me that after a Christ Jesus Heaven never produced any thing more holy the World never had any thing more worthy the Sun never saw any thing more admirable amiable precious and perfect than our ever blessed and honoured Mistris and Mother Mary And consequently we must conclude also that very great is our own dignity who have the honour to be of her particular family by means of this pious Institute of the Confraternity of the Rosary 1. An Institute not of a novell invention but as you have heard of above four hundred years standing and antiquity 2. An Institute of that large extent that it hath spread it self over the whol habitable world and acknowledges no other limits than those which bound the universall Catholique Church 3. An Institute of that generality that no person is exculded from its participation not the Husbandman in the fields not the Trades-man in his shop not the Traveller in his journey not the unlearned for his ignorance not the Woman by her sex not the Married by their state not the Younglings by their simplicity not the Aged by their impotency not the Sick by their infirmity Briefly not any devout and faithfull Christian by any calling employment condition whatsoever 4. An Institute of that easiness to learn and facility to practice that it requires no more knowledge than the skill to recite the Pater and Ave no more expences than the price of a pair of Bedes no other place than where every
Son our Lord. I Believe in the second Person of the sacred Trinity the Son whom the Father begot from all Eternity communicating to him all his own Essence Greatness Perfection who continuing God became Man for the Salvation of Sinners was nam'd Christ Jesus and is the Soveraign Lord and King of all Souls O divin word which descended from Heaven to Earth to deliver me from sin and Satan be you my Lord by Election as you are by Creation and Redemption I freely give and bequeath my self to you for your perpetuall Bondslave Live O Jesu and reign in my Soul as you do in the whol extent of this large Universe Who was conceiv'd by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary I Believe that Gods Son that he might become Man did vouchsafe to unite to his divin Person a Rationall soul and a human body which the Holy Ghost miraculously form'd in the chast bowels of the blessed Virgin Mary and of her proper and pure blood so that he was truly conceiv'd in her and truly born by her without any prejudice to her Virginity O Jesu the lover of Purity who chose the chastest woman of the World for your Mother by the Immaculate Purity of your Conception and Nativitie give me the gift and grace of purity of Life and Conversation Suffered under Pontius Pilate was Crucify'd dead and buryed I Believe that the Son of God Incarnate endured very severe Torments in his humanity for the Worlds Redemption that he was adjudg'd to dy by the Prefident Pilate and that after his death he was buryed and laid in a Sepulchre O Jesu the Redeemer of my Soul your death is the only hope of my Life be you graciously pleas'd to apply to me one single drop of your sacred Bloud and I shall rest secure in this Life and be happy for all Eternitie He descended into Hell the third day he arose again from the Dead I Believe that in the death of my blessed Saviour his Soul was really seperated for a time from his Body to descend into that part of Hell which was call'd Limbus Patrum where all such souls as from the Worlds first beginning departed this life in a good estate were till then detaind I believe that he deliver'd them from that Dungeon and that upon the third day his Soul return'd to his buryed Body became reunited unto it and rays'd it up to Life and Immortality O most glorious Soul of Christ my Saviour which thus mercifully visited the Patriarchs lying in the sad Prison of Limbus vouchsafe to give me also a gracious vâ—sit that whil'st I live I may duly and devoutly love and honour you and when my Soul shall be call'd out of this imprisoning Body it may be rays'd up to Contemplate admire and prayse your greatness goodness and glorie for all Eternitie He ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Allmightie I Believe that Jesus my Redeemer being by his own power resuscitated from death to life ascended up to Heaven by his own strength where he sits at the right hand of God his Father to whom he is every way equall as the chief of all the Blessed full of glory and felicity O Jesu my Redeemer how worthy are you thus to triumph to reign to be exalted above all creatures But O forget not in the state of your greatness the condition of your miserable Creature bought with the price of your precious Bloud O King of glory grant that all my thoughts words actions and desires may aym at nothing but your only honour From thence he shall come to judge the Quick and the Dead I Believe that Christ Jesus when he shall please to put a Period to time and all sublunary things will descend visibly from Heaven in his glorious Humanity to judg all Manking both the good and the bad and publickly to reward to punish every one according to their works Ah! just Judg of all consciences what shall I then do or what shall I answer when you shall question me concerning my whol lives transactions I believe in the Holy Ghost I Believe in the third person of the sacred Trinitie the Holy Ghost who joyntly proceeds both from the Father and from the Son and is to them equall in Greatness in Majestie in all things whatsoever O sacred Spirit the God of Infinit Love and Charity breath upon my flinty heart mollify it into meekness towards my Neighbour and melt it into the sweet affections of your pure and perfect Love I believe the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints I Believe the Catholick Church to be the only Church of Christ that it is holy universall apostolical and infallible in things appertaining to Faith and that in this Church there are found many pious Souls pleasing to the divin Majesty which mutually help each other by their prayers and good works O my Lord and my God! I render you most humble and hearty thanks for having made me a child and member of this holy Church in which I have so great hopes and so many helps to save my soul give me your grace good Jesu that I may improve this signall favour and persever in this saving Faith that from it I may pass to the clear vision of your prepared glory The Forgiveness of Sins I Believe that God is both able and willing to forgive me my Sins and that he hath left power in his Church to remit them be they never so heynous and enormous and this especially by the Priests absolution in the Sacrament of Penance O God of Infinit goodness and mercy let all Creatures Eternally prayse and magnifie your sacred Name for having given such power to men and such comfort to poor sinners The Resurrection of the Flesh I Believe that the very body in which my Soul now lives and breaths and all human bodyes though after death they are redâ—c'd into dust in their graves shall at the end of the World and at the great day of generall Judgment be rays'd to lâ—fe by Gods omnipotent command and his Angells ministry to be then rejoyn'd to their same souls and to live for evermore O Dread Soveraign in whose hands are life and death and to whose beck all things are obedient Ingrave deeply in my heart and soul the hope of a happy Resurrection that the horrour of this temporall dissolution and death of my body may not over-terrify and dismay me And life everlasting Amen I Believe that the good shall live in Heavenly glory for all Eternitie and that the wicked shall live eternally in infernall torments O good God! grant that I may so live in your grace during this my short Pilgrimage that I my live with you in glorie in your Eternall Paradise Amen §. 3. Of the Pater Noster or our Lords Prayer The second part of the Rosary THe Pater Noster is the Prayer which our Lord Jesus taught his disciples informing them from his own sacred mouth
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
then ponder his love to mankind in generall and to your self in particular c. The second Rule which concerns the action of your will is That you pass speedily from speculative discourses to devout affections and self-reflections as for example had you been in the Bethleem stable aforesaid how diligently would you have employ'd your self in the service of little Jesus and his loving Mother How willingly would you have pick'd up sticks made a fire ayr'd his swaths and fetch'd or carryed whatsoever might have been usefull for their solace and succour c. Such like reflections will rayse enflam'd desires and firm resolutions in your soul of better loving and serving both the Son and Mother for the future and of suffering for his sake who suffered so much for yours c. And in some such manner you may conclude each mysterie by some particular resolution drawn from the subject of the meditation either of correcting such an imperfection or of exercising such a vertu and assure your self that if you presently apply your self to the practise of such well made resolutions humbly imploring the divin assistance therein by the blessed Virgins Intercession you shall find it a most speedy and efficacious means to the amendment of your life the extirpation of vice the implanting of vertu and finally much conducing to your generall advancement in all sorts of spirituall Perfections 3 You may also represent to your self the sacred Virgin Sometimes as sitting or kneeling in her silent and solitary retreat and attentively listning to the Angell Gabriels Salutation and Embassy Other times as infolding gently her sweet Infant Jesus in her sacred arms imbracing him tenderly in her bosom suckling him lovingly at her breasts watching him carefully with her eyes cherishing him affectionatly with her kisses contemplating him devoutly with her heart Other times as painfully wayting on him from place to place in the time of his Passion sorrowfully standing by him at the foot of his Cross cheerfully rejoycing with him at his Resurrection Other times as gloriously reigning in Heaven mercifully vouchsafing to hearken to our prayers and piously presenting them to her Son Or otherwise according to the severall mysteries and sutably to each ones gust and devotion 4. You are also here to be exhorted to propose to your self the cause whether common or particular which moves you now to the recitall of the Rosary as for example I intend now to prayse my Lord God for the benefit of my Creation Redemption Vocation c. Or In the honour of my Saviours sacred Nativity bitter Passion glorious Resurrection admirable Ascention c. Or In the honour of the blessed Virgins Annunciation Visitation Assumption Coronation c. Or I intend to render thanks to my Creator for such a particular favour as for mine own or my friends Conversion delivery from danger c. Or any other privat or publick benefit Or I intend to implore the divin assistance for the overcoming of such a Temptation extirpating such a vice obtaining such a vertu Or For a good success in such an affair Or that I may make a happy progress in my Studies c. Consider therefore briefly at the beginning of your prayers what it is that you chiefly intend and if it be any temporall or worldly benefit which you desire to obtain be sure you demand it not absolutely but only conditionally as thus If it please the divin Majesty and that it is for my good and his glory I humbly beg a happy end of such a Law-sute success in such a journey prosperity in such an undertaking c. 5. Then taking your Bedes in hand or having this your Book open before you begin your Rosary with the sign of the Cross saying In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen 6. Then adding this Preparatorie Prayer of the Church Aperi Domine os meum ctc. O Lord Open my mouth to bless your holy name purge my heart from all vain wicked and wandring thoughts enlighten my understanding and inflame my affections that reciting this Rosary with due reverence attention and devotion I may be graciously heard by your divin Majesty through the merits of your Son our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus 7. Then making a Profession of your Faith with heart and mouth say I believe in God the Farher Almightie Creator of Heaven and Earth c. 8. After your Creed recite thrice your Hail Mary upon the three grains which are commonly plac'd at the head of your Rosary saluting the blessed Virgin in honour of her three singular Prerogatives Of being 1. The Daughter of the Eternall Father 2. The Mother of the Eternall Son 3. The Spouse of the Holy Ghost 9. Then Reflecting upon the first mysterie say our Father and ten Hail Maries and so pass on to the second and the rest of the Decades according to the order hereafter described and in the end of every Decade you are to say Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be World without end Amen Then recite these verses devoutly These Prayers Angelical with bended knee We offer holy Virgin up to thee Steer us a prosperous course while here we tarry And in deaths Pangs assist us blessed Mary Remember Virgin that no age hath known Any by thee deserted that has flown To thy Protection or implor'd thy Ayd By which encouragement most sacred Mayd Mother of Virgins I to thee repayre And for thy help address my humble prayer Mother of God! desert me not but hear And listen to me with a gracious eare 10. And having compleated the Recitall of your Rosary conclude with the repeated Creed and sign of the Cross so ending where you began which is both the ancient and a most laudable custom After all add this Prayer of the Church to obtain the remission of all the negligences committed in your Prayers Sacrosanctae Individuae Trinitaeti c. To the sacred and undivided Trinitie to the blessed Humanitie of our crucify'd Lord Jesus to the fruitfull integrity of the most glorious Virgin Mary and to all the Saints universally be ascribed all prayse honour and glory from all creatures for evermore and to us be granted by Gods Mercy the Remission of all our Sins And likewise ever blessed be the Bowels of the Virgin Mary which bore the Eternall Fathers Son and blessed be the Breasts which suckled Christ our Lord Amen §. 6. Of the fifteen Mysteries in generall The fourth part of the Rosarie THe devout Rosarist is here to be remembred of what was briefly related in the first book § 7. that whilst his mouth is employ'd in the due pronunciation of the aforesaid prayers his mind is to be embusied in the serious contemplation of certain divin mysteries which are fitly reduced to the number of Fifteen answering to the fifteen Decades or Tens of the sacred Rosary
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.
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 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
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
servant of the sacred Virgin even from the cradle to his last gasp receiv'd from her many signall favours and comforts both in the time of his Bishoprick and of his banishment Amongst other demonstrations of her Affection towards him she vouchsaf'd to instruct him in his prayers and devotions and whereas he used daily to salute her in honour of her seven temporall Joy's she was graciously pleas'd to reveal unto him Seven other Celestiall Joys which she doth shall possess in heaven for all eternity enjoyning him to add the memory of them also to his former daily duty This glorious Bishop and Martyr dyed in the year 1170. Besides the Festivities of the sacred Virgin-Mother affix'd as above to certain days of the year there are yet some others which are Moveable 1. UPon the Friday before Palm-Sunday The Feast or Commemoration of the sacred Virgins sorrows which blessed Simeon prophecyed unto her when she presented her Son Jesus to his Eternall Father in the Temple This feast is celebrated by the Cistercians as appears in their Breviary upon the 16. of April but by others more properly upon the Friday before Palâ— Sunday in memory of the many swords of sorrow which pierc'd her maternall heart in her dear Sons Death and Passion 2. Upon the Saturday after the Ascension The Feast or Commemoration of the Blessed Virgins Joys which she receiv'd both in this world and possesses for all Eternity in heaven which Joys are express'd in most pithy and pious verses by the glorious Martyr S. Thomas Arch-bishop of Canterbury As may be seen in Canisius lib. 4. cap. 13. and which were revealed to S. Mechtild in the first Book of her Revelations Chap. 66. 3. Upon the last Sunday of August The Feast or Recollection of all the Feasts of the sacred Virgin-Mother which is solemnly celebrated at Doway upon this day though in other places it is transferr'd to the First Sunday of September The Institution whereof is related by Lipsius in the first Book and fifth Chapter of his Lovanium and the Office thereof may be found in the Cambray Breviary printed at Paris 1507. 4. Upon the Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin the Feast of her glorious Name MARIA is with great solemnity celebrated at Bruxels and in other places R. B. Prefect of the Arch-Confraternity of the ROSARIE in the Oratory of the ever Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of Power in the City of Amsterdam wisheth eternall health and happiness to the devout Rosarists HOnoured Zealous and Religious Brethren and Sisters The service which I have long since promised and protested to the ever blessed Virgin Mary the glorious Mother of my God The Great Queen of Heaven and Earth The Powerfull Patroness of all Mankind The Soveraign Mistris of our Arch-Confraternity and the Place and Title of Prefect which I though most unworthy possess amongst you hath put this days discourse into my mouth A discourse not directly tending to the Reformation of your Lives Manners and Conversations which were a design in me as presumptuous as improper a matter as far above my Sphear as beyond my Ability A task which our worthy Dean painfully and carefully performs to our great comfort and profit in his pious Exercises and Orations But a discourse ayming at these two ends To declare what the Rosary is And what it is to be of the Rosary To describe the Dignity of this our Confraternity and the Duty of us who are ascribed into this holy Society to shew you how fitly it is by us embraced and how faithfully we ought to behave our selves in it O Sacred Spirit by whose Conduct our pious Predecessors laid the happy foundation of this most renowned Confraternity inspire my understanding to conceive something worthy so high a Subject Enable my tongue to speak something beseeming the blessed Virgins prayses Direct my Pen to couch something for her devout Childrens comfort encouragement edification Man being by nature a Sociable Creature is inclined by the principles of his Essence by the temper of his complexion by the violence of his originall disposition to seek out some Consorts and Companions of his own kind and condition to the end he may solace himself in their Society Conduct his lives course by their Counsell and Communicate with them his affairs and affections And his naturall propension to Society is that which hath civiliz'd Mankind policy'd the whol World built up Cities order'd Commonwealths and Kingdoms and which conserves all things in their due order and union God the Soveraign Creator of all things who ingrav'd this powerfull instinct of Society in mans Soul as a disposition connaturall to his life and being A condition necessary for the conservation entertainment and common good of the whole Vniverse A qualitie which he made recommendable from the first origin of time not onely amongst his own people as may appear in the Law of Nature and the Law written but even amongst the Pagans Idolaters and most barbarous Nations as might be exemplified out of all profane Annalls and Histories would not have it perish in the law of Grace but cutting off the abuse permitted the use thereof to be continued and preserved for the good of his Church for the salvation of Christian Souls for the solace and support of his faithfull Servants And therefore he hath from time to time excited pious people to assemble themselves together for the inflaming of one anothers Zeal Fervour and devotion for their mutuall assistance and consolation for the increase of each others merit and vertue To live soberly piously justly under the discreet Laws Rules and Ordinances of one common Society Congregation Confraternity And surely our blessed Redeemer himself to begin at the fountain head of all Sanctity the exemplary pattern of all Perfection descending from Heaven to accomplish on Earth the sacred design which he decreed from all Eternitie as if this point had been one of the Prime and principall projects of his Incarnation seems to aym at nothing more than the establishment of unity in number Union in division Peace and Charity amongst men This was his Life his Preaching his Practice to put down Schismes Divisions Partialities and to Imprint in Christians hearts the love of Concord and the Honour of a happy Confraternity For what is more frequently inculcated in the Sacred Gospells in the Epistles Decrees Constitutions of the Apostles in the whol Volumes of the holy Bible than Peace Charity Fraternity What greater precept did Christ impose upon all Christians than when he said I give you a new Command to love one another adding immediately In this the World shall know you to be my Disciples if you are united in affection Mutuall charity is the manifest Signet of Christianity the Royall Ensign of my Religion the true badg of Piety the particular livery of my Children the distinguishing mark of my faithfull followers friends and favourites In obedience to this command we find registred in holy
large volumes We shall therefore both in this and the following points content our selves to declare the Truth not dispute it to presuppose it not prove it to set down Maxims not Problems and our endeavours shall be to excite the faithfull Rosarists to this sort of Piety by applying some of the holy Fathers pithy sentences and expressions not to amuse their fancies by producing curiosities and falling upon the subtilties of controversies Wherefore abstracting here from the sacred Virgin-Mothers own Worth Dignity Prerogatives Perfections Excellencies which are briefly touched in the precedent Oration and which are abundantly capable to ravish the whol World with her love and admiration and move them to her honour and service we shall insist only upon some of the most signall benefits which redound to our selves by our devotion towards her reducing them to these five generall heads The first is That she loves her devoted children and servants Though the sacred Virgin is call'd in the Churches Dialect Mater pulchrae dilectionis The mother of love and charity and consequently cannot but have a generall â—ffâ—ction for all mankind yet surely she hath a particular kindness and tendernesâ— for such as addict themselves to her speciall honour and dedicate themselves to her service according to that other passage which holy Church also applyes to her Ego diligentes me diligo I love them who love me Hence our devout St. Bernard upon those words of the Gospell Ecce Mater tua Behold thy Mother which were delivered from the Cross by our dying Saviour and directed to his dear Minion Saint John and to all mankind in his person hath these pithy expressions If Mary is thy Mother O Christian then Jesus is thy Brother then Chrâ—sts Father is thy Father then his Heaven is thy Inheritance then Mary's grace is thy treasure for Mothers usually lay up treasures for their Children then she is sensible of all thy sufferings sollicitous to supply thy wants carefull to provide for thy necessities for a Mother is tender over her Children Therefore O Christian make choyce of Mary for thy Mother For it is impossible says elsewhere the same devout Doctor that she should abandon them who place their confidence in her Patronage and Protection since she is the Mother of Mercy and compassion Who would not then become a loving Child and obedient servant of so pious and tender a Mother who would not strive to gain the favour and affection of so faithfull a friend and so powerfull a Patroness The second is That she is liberall and bountifull in bestowing benefits and favours upon her children and servants Worldly affection if it be true and perfect hath such power over the heart of Man as to cause him to confer freely upon his beloved object whatsoever he most dearly prizes and esteems And can it be conceiv'd that the Saints charity and particularly Hers which far excels that of all Men Saints and Angells together being more perfect should be less liberall The glorious Virgin say our Doctors is the Treasuress of the celestiall Riches the Dispensatrix of Gods gifts she carryes the keys of the divin Coffers All power is given to you great Empress of both Worlds says her mellifluous Doctor so that you have leave to do what you please in Heaven and Earth And she is surely no niggard in dispensing them as being equally bountifull and powerfull equally good and great equally courteous and charitable Why dread you O ye devout children and servants of MARY says the same Doctor to approach your Mother and Mistris There is nothing in her of rigidness and austerity She 's full of meekness charity courtesie towards all them that sue unto her I well know sayes the antient Father Theophilactus that you O most glorious Queen-Mother are the great Protectrice of mankind And who is he O mercifull Princess that having plac'd his confidence in you hath remain'd confounded Who is that he or she amongst the children of Adam who having besought your succour and assistance hath been rejected and abandon'd Let 's therefore make to her our humble addresses in all our necessities since she is so Powerfull to assist us so Mercifull to admit us so Ready to relieve us The third is that she comforts her children and servants in all their afflictions persecutions desolations This follows from the former For if as a most tender Mother she loves cherishes her children servants and show'rs down so many goods graces and favours upon them she surely compassionat's them in ther pressing necessities For it is then chiefly that true friendship shews it self true charity expands it self true liberality diffuses it self Certainly says a pious Author were all the devout servants and children of Mary summon'd out of their graves to give in their severall answers to this Interrogation How oft have you heartily invok'd your holy Mistris and Mother in your necessities and been deny'd her speedy succour and assistance They would unanimously exclaim with her holy St. Bernard Taceat ille c. Let that impious tongue be silent O most compassionat Virgin Mother which dares falsly avouch that you have fail'd to help and comfort him whensoever he faithfully call'd upon you in his distressed condition Therefore St. German the Patriark of Constantinople thus addresses his discourse unto her no one is sav'd O most sacred Virgin but by your assistance no one if free from miserie O must pure Virgin but by your means no one receives Gods gifts and graces O most mercifull Virgin but by your mediation No one obtains the pardon of his offences O Virgin worthy of all praise and honour but by your prayers and intercession Who says he after your Divin Son takes so much care of poor Mankind as your self Who so zealously defends and strengthens weak man in his troubles and temptations Who so readily succours him in his afflictions and persecutions Who so charitably excuses his crimes pleads his cause procures his pardon and delivers him from the severe punishment which his sins have justly deserved Let therefore each afflicted Soul proceeds this holy Patriark make to you O Compassionat Mother his humble addresses let him who perceives his frail vessell to be in danger of drowning amidst the impetuous winds and waves of this wicked and tempestuous World cast his eyes up to you bright Star of the Sea and let him rest confident that you will speedily and securely conduct him to his desired haven The fourth is That she is their faithfull Advocate in Heaven The cause is half gaind that is undertaken by a powerfull Advocate And who can possibly be imagin'd more Powerfull than the Queen-Mother pleading at her own Sons Tribunall There she sustains her childrens processes embraces their protection procures their pardon diverts the sentence of their deserved damnation and omits nothing which may conduce to the appeasing of their soveraign Judg and the saving of their Souls O faithfull Patoness of afflicted sinners How fitly doth holy
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
Rosa Puritatis Palma Virens Virga Florens Gemma Refulgens Oliva speciosa Columba Formosa Mulier Gratiosa Rubus Incombuftus Hortus Conclusus Puteus Signatus Vellus Gedeonis Favus Sampsonis Thronus Salomonis Vitis fructificans Navis abundans Arca Salvans Gloria Saeculi Honor Populi Nutrix Parvuli Regina Angelorum Regina Patriarcharum Regina Prophetarum Regina Apostolorum Regina Martyrum Regina Confessorum Regina Praedicatorum Regina Virginum Regina Sanctorum Omnium Regina Sanctissimi Rosarii Ab omni malo Peccato Libera nos Domina Per salutiferam Nativitatem beatam Praesentationem tuam Te rogamus Domina Per sanctam Purificationem caelestem vitam tuam Te rogamus Domina Per admirabilem Assumptionem gloriosam Coronationem tuam Te rogamus Domina Ut veram paenitentiam perseverantiam nobis impetrare digneris Te rogamus Domina Ut Ecclesiasticos ordines Catholicos Princâ—pes conservare digneris Te rogamus Domina Ut hanc nostram Cunctasque Congregâ—tiones tibi devotas augeâ—e Conservare digneris Te rogamus Domina Ut hanc nostram Cunctasque Congregationes tibi devotas augere conservare digneris Te Rogamus Domina Ut Populo Christiano Pacem salutem abundantiam obtinere digneri Te rogamus Domina Ut Navigantibus portum pro Fide pugnantibus Victoriam Fidelibus vitam defunctis Requiem aeternam Impetrare digneris Te rogamus Domina Vers Ave de coelis Alma Resp Sucurre nobis Domina Vers Ave de coelis Pia Resp Fer opem nobis Domina Vers Ave de coelis Dulcis Resp Intercede pro nobis Domina Vers Sancta Maria Mater Christi Resp Audi rogantes servulos impetratam nobis coelitus tu defer Indulgentiam Vers Orate pro nobis omnes Sancti Dei Resp Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi Vers Salvos fac servos tuos Ancillas tuas Resp Deus meus sperantes in te Oremus SUpplicationem servorum tuorum Deus miserator exaudi ut qui in Societate sanctissimi Rosarii Dei genitricis Virginis Mariae congregamur ejus intercessionibus a te de instantibus perisulis eruamur Deus cujus unigenituâ— per vitam mortem Resurrectionem in nostrae carnis substantia nobis salutis aeternae praemia comparavit Da famulis tuis haec omnia per Sanctum Rosarium recensentibus imitari quod gessit sentire quae pertulit assequi quod promisit Tribue quaesumus Domine omnes Angelos Sanctos tuos jugiter pro nobis orare cos clementer exaudire digneris Ecclesiae tuae Domine preces placatus admitte ut destructis adversitatibus erroribus universis secura tibi serviat libertate Custodi Domine famulum tuum N. Patronum nostrum pro quo Majestati tuae supplicam us ut in fide Catholica constans perseveret ac vita hujus pericula illaesus pertranseat nullisq tentati nibus a te summâ— bono unquam so paretur Remittantur illi quaesumus peccata quibus iram tuam promeruit Augeatur in eo justitia Tibi Majoribus Proximis exhibenda Vocationi suae in qua degit probe satisfaciat aequè in prosperis atque in adversis rebus sese moderatè gerat Atque finem Vitae faelicem te duce conseqatur Corpus illius Animam Vitam mortem tuae divinae gratiae magnoperè commendamus ut Benedictionis tuae Virtute in Viis omnibus dirigatur contra omnes hostium tam visibilium quam invisibilium insidias defendatur Per Christum Dominum nostrum Vers Ave Maria Resp Gratia plena Vers Dominus tecum Resp Benedicta tu in mulieribus Benedictus fructus ventris tui Jesus Jesus Christus Amen Vers Sancta Maria Mater Dei ora pro nobis Peccatoribus nunc in hora mortis nostrae Resp Et fidelibus defunctis requiem sempiternam impetra Amen Benedictio Nos cum Prole pia Benedicat Virgo †Maria. A devout recommendation to the ever blessed Virgin after Procession O Mother of Mercy Mother of Power Mother of Jesus Mother and Advocate of poor and repentant Sinners to whom your care and affection is greater than that of a Mother to her child Into your sacred hands and heart I do most humbly recommend this day and for ever my body and soul all that I am and have my life and my death that in all I may seek your Sons honour and find my own happiness Beg for me O blessed Mother diligence to seek Jesus love to find him obedience to follow him purity to see him charity to embrace him patience to suffer for him devotion to sigh after him indifferencie to adhere to him and perseverance to remain with him for evermore O Empress of Heaven Beauty of Angells and Lady of Love How long shall nature sensuality and selfishness bear sway How long shall I seek and not find sigh and not enjoy live and not truly love Jesus and Mary the good Son and glorious Mother the holy Fruit and happy Tree O my compassionate Mother obtain for me your poor child counsell in all my doubts comfort in all my distresses courage in all my temptations and confidence in all my troubles Help me O holy Mother of my Lord Jesus to be truly humble in my self truly devout and loyall to my God truly obedient to my Superiors and truly meek to all Be you alwaies mindfull of me O my dear Mother both living and dying and then especially have a care of me when I forget my self by falling into Sin and when my Soul must be forc'd out of my Body by death that after death I may see praise and love both you and your Son Jesus for all eternity Amen THE LITANIES OF OUR BLESSED LADY OF LORETTO So called For that they are usually sung in that sacred Church of Loretto upon all the Saturdays in the year and Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary THE pious Rosarists may please to take notice that some years since there were certain Religious Persons who agreed together to recite daily these holy Litanies for the happy death of each other to whom many thousands joyn'd themselvs throughout all Italy Spain France Germany and the Indies And why should nor the like sacred Association be established also in our Countrey amongst such devout Christians as are equally zealous of the Blessed Virgins honour and as much desirous of a happy death We therefore the Compilers of this Book do hereby declare unto all you the devout Children and Servants of our Common-Mother the ever Blessed Virgin Mary that we intend henceforth to recite daily these following Litanies for each others happy death And that we do now even by these presents without any further declaration or ceremony admit receive and associate unto our selv's and to a joynt Communication with us in these our prayers All such as being desirous therof shall mutually perform these three following points 1. Recite daily these Litanies
between each Decade and the rest of the meditations comprehending the whol life of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus c. Let 's now cast a view upon the Excellency Dignity and Utilitie of this our sacred Rosary which can be no better declared than by shewing the Excellencie of each severall part whereof it is compos'd to wit the Creed the Lords Prayer the Angelical Salutation and the Meditations upon the fifteen Mysteries In the Creed we profess our Faith and by Faith we please God in the Lords Prayer we speak to God as it were in his own dialect and we may be confident the Eternall Father will hearâ—… to the divin words which his own dear Son dictated In the Angelical Salutation we gratefully commemorate the chief mysterie of our Salvation which is our Redeemers Incarnation And in Meditating upon the fifteen mysteries we sweetly melt away in the admiration of the divin love mercy and goodness The Creed wherewith we begin and conclude our Rosary and which may therefore be fitly called the first and last accidentall part thereof contains as many Excellencies fruits and profits as Faith it self whereof it is a formall Act and Profession Now the fruits of Faith are so many that meerely to relate them would make up a large volum and therefore be pleas'd to content your selves for the present most devout Rosarists to take only a compendious touch of such as are expresly registred in holy Writ 1. Faith purges our sins Thy Faith O Woman say's our Saviour to the Penitent Magdalen hath saved thee 2. Faith purifies our hearts sayes S. Peter 3. Faith joynes espouses and unites our souls to God say's the Prophet Oseas 4. Faith is the very life of our souls The just man says the Prophet Abacuc and after him the Apostle S. Paul lives by faith And Christ our Saviour He that believes in me though he be dead in flesh he shall live in his soul 5. Faith enobles exalts and dignifies our nature rendring us Gods adopted children He gave power say's S. John to them who believe in his name to become his children 6. Faith is here the beginning of the hereafter ensuing eternall life This is eternall life says our Saviour to know the only true God 7. Faith gives all the fruit worth and merit to our works Whatsoever is not of Faith says Saint Paul is a sin 8. Faith is our Armour against all sorts of Temptations of the World Flesh and Devill Above all says S. Paul take the shield of Faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked And S. Peter Your Adversary the Devill goes about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour whom resist stedfast in Faith And S. John This is the victory that overcomes the world even your Faith 9. Faith causes our Prayers to be heard and our Petitions granted What things soever you desire says our Saviour When you pray believe that you receive them and you shall have them And S. James Let him ask in Faith nothing doubting and it shall be given him 10. Faith works Miracles He that believes in me says our Saviour shall do the works that I do and greater than these And S. Paul proves this by many instances throughout his whol 11th Chapter to the Hebrews Finally there are no greater riches no higher honours no better substance in this world says S. Augustin than the Catholique Faith which saves sinners cures the sick justifies the righteous repairs the penitent perfects the just and crowns all the Elect. These are a part of the innumerable fruits and profits which spring from Faith as from the foundation ground work and root of all goodness and which may be aboundantly gather'd by you O Faithfull servants of God and devout children of Mary by renewing exciting and professing it in the recitall of your Creed at the beginning and end of your Rosary The second Part of the Rosary is our Lords Prayer so called from its divin Author Christ Jesus and for its own excellencie as being says S. Thomas an Abridgment of all that needs to be desired or ought to be demanded This sacred Prayer contain seven Petitions and that not without speciall Mysterie For as this inferior world is govern'd by seven Orbes or Heavens which are under the starrie Firmament and is cherish'd and conserv'd by the Influences of seven Planets And as Man consists of the three powers of his soul and the four Elements whether virtually or formally it matters not which compose his Body And as our spirituall Perfection depends upon seven vertues The three Theologicall and the four Cardinall And as the gifts of the Holy Ghost wherewith our souls are adorned are seven And as the Beatificall Dowries make up the same number three of them belonging to the soul vision love fruition and four to the Body Impassibility Agility Subtility Clarity So Christ our Lord the Eternall Fathers Coeternall wisdom concluded all things for which he would have us pray in these seven short and sweet Petitions To relate all the fruits and effects which are reap'd by the devout recitall of this divin Prayer were to run over the large fields of prayer in generall whereof this our Pater noster is a perfect summarie as hath been already prov'd by the authoritie of S. Thomas and may be further confirm'd by this saying of S. Augustin If thou searchest after all the sacred Prayers that ever were compos'd thou canst in my opinion meet with nothing which is not herein contained and included And by that of S. Cyprian O what mysteries are in our Lords prayer How many and how great Sacraments are in this short speech contracted in words but copious in spirituall sense and vertu In so much as there is nothing at all to be pray'd for which is not comprehended in this compendium of heavenly doctrin To which Encomiums of these great Saints omitting almost infinit others of Tertullian S. John Chrysostom S. Gregory and all the Fathers we shall only add this excellent expression of a modern Author Amongst all divin Prayers and prayses nothing is comparable to the Pater noster It far excells all the supplications of the Saints It fully contains all the conceptions of the Prophets all the expressions of the Psalms all the sweetnesses of the Canticles It asks all that is necessary It prayses God highly It joyns the soul to God entirely c. See Thomas a Kempis Enchirid. Monastic cap. 5. But to make you most devout Rosarists yet more enamour'd with your Pater noster We shall succinctly deliver unto you its manifold fruits and effects in the very sense of S. Dominick himself the Author of this our Confraternity who by divin Inspiration preach'd to his numerous Auditory of Tolosa upon a solemn feast of the sacred Virgin to this effect First says Saint Dominick if little weak children were to walk through some wild and uncouth wilderness had they not need of a
have all at once but content to receive it as we need it and as the Divin Giver pleases to dispense it with a constant relying upon his continued providence which therefore feeds us with extemporarie provisions that being always needie we may always be begging and being daily supplyed we may be daily gratefull for the past joyfull for the present and confident for the future 2. We beg the Bread of sinners Contrition Tears Repentance 3. We beg the Bread of Children Love Devotion Obedience Resignation 4. We beg the Bread of Angells the nourishment of our souls Contemplation Communion Union The fifth Petition For give us our trepasses as we forgive them that trespass against us 1. Whereby we confess our selvs to be deeply indebted fearfull to be condemn'd carefull to be releas'd and therefore humbly sue for Mercy Compassion Remission 2. We here petition for a Pardon not only of our sins of frailty ignorance and sudden surprisall but those of deliberation of election of express malice 3. We petition for a Pardon not only of our Sins of Om ssion but of Commission not only of our Carnall sins but of our Spirituall not only of our known sins but of our secret ones not only of sins don directly against the divin Majesty but also against our Neighbour and our selvs not only of mortall sins but of veniall 4. Forgive us as we forgive By which condition we tacitly oblige our selvs to forgive all such as have any way injur'd and offended us even from our hearts not entertaining so much as a thought of Revenge but truly loving all them that have wrong'd us for so only and not otherwise we desire our Creators Pardon for our own committed crimes and impieties The sixth Petition And lead us not into Temptation 1. Where by we desire light that we fall not help that we fail nor strength that we saint not a guide that we erre not comfort that we perish not 2. St. Cyprian out of an old latin copie reads Suffer us not to be led into Temptation that is permit us not to be overcome by Temptation nor to give our assents to sinfull suggestions 3. Since our life upon Earth is a perpetuall warfare and no one can be Crown'd unless he couragiously resist the World the Flesh and the Devill his swoâ—n Enemies therefore we instantly implore the divin assistance against them that we may be able to resist the Devill chastise our Flesh despise the World and so finally obtain a Crown of Glory after our Victory 4. Finally we here acknowledge our own weakness frailty nothing and that all our sufficiencie is from our Creators grace mercy and bounty which we therefore beg and implore not to abandon us in our necessities afflictions temptation The seventh Petition But deliver us from Evill Whereby as weary of all things which hinder our desired union and conjunction with our beloved Lord and the only Spouse of our Souls and the finall End of our Life and Pilgrimage upon Earth we beg to be delivered First not only from all temporall and corporall Evâ—lls as Famine Pestilence Wars 2. But also from all spirituall Evills as impatience pusâ—illanimity distrust of the divin succour in our tribulations sufferings persecutions 3. From this World which allures us to sin and from these bodyes which imprison our Spirits 4 Finally from all that displeases the divin Majesty under whose sacred wings we desire to shelter our selvs from the violence of all our adversaries that so no Temptation may weaken our Faith discomfort our Hope distroy our Charity daunt our Courage alter our Resolutions hinder our Perseverance or overthrow our Glories An Exercise upon our Lords Prayer Dialated with Acts and Affections 1. Our Father which art in Heaven Adoration and Acknowledgement O Heavenly Father I no sooner had a Being but I see the Effects of your paternall Bountie inflowing upon me all things necessary for my preservation even to this present Instant in which I appear before your dread Majesty to adore you prayse you and to implore your Mercy I humbly acknowledg my own Ingratitude Rebellion Disobedience all which notwithstanding you have still continued the affection of a tender Father towards me in cherishing me comforting me correcting me pardoning me protecting me and treating me not as a Traytor a Prodigall a Slave but as one of your dearly beloved Children Wherefore I adore you as my Soveraign Lord God and I honour you as my heavenly Father and I prayse you as my powerfull Creator and I love you as my mercifull Preserver and I promise for the future to obey you more punctually to serve you more faithfully to prayse you more fervently and to procure the dilatation of your divin honour and glory more zealously upon all occasions with a syncere filiall and cordiall affection Hallowed be thy Name A desire of true Light O what a Father How full of pity patience compassion to have so long endured the undutifullness irreverence insolencie of an â—ll behaved uncivill unnaturall child who instead of procuring the sanctification of your sacred Name in all your creatures and the exaltation of your honour in all his actions hath still continued to dishonour your Majesty to disedify his Neighbour to misuse your gifts graces and mercyes and to defile his heart and soul with all sorts of sins and impieties Grant O Father of Light and Love that I may have a clear sight and lively apprehension of your affection and my obligation that truly considering youâ— mercy and my own misery I may rely confidently upon that and rise speedily out of this so recovering your favour and friendship and eternally sanctifying praysing and magnifying your sacred Name and Majesty 3. Thy Kingdom come Sorrow for our Sins and sighing for Heaven I freely confess O Father of Mercy anâ— King of Majesty that my own willfulâ— blindâ—ess and disobedience hath moâ—… justly deâ—riv'd me of a Childs title anâ— quality Permit me therefore to presenâ— my self before you as a poor Bond-slave or at least as the Prodigall Child with tears in my eyes sighs in my heart and this humble petition in my mouth Father I have offended against Heaven and before you I have dissipated all the graces you so lovingly and liberally gave me and forfeiting my whol freedom am become the absolute slave of sensuality vanity impietie which now over-rule me raign within me and render me a rebell against your divin Majesty Mercy O most compassionate Father Destroy this Kingdom of Sin and Satan and Establish yours in my soul Live Lord Jesu in my heart I will have no other King but him Deprive me not Dear Father of that happy inheritance which your Son my Saviour hath purchased for me with the price of his precious blood But mercifully grant that your glorious Kingdom may come to be my lot and portion at my departure out of this place of banishment that I may there contemplate praise and love you for
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
in following you more carefull in keeping you more sincere constant perseverant in serving and obeying you Be you my guid O most glorious Virgin-Mother in this my inquest after your dear Son Following your footsteps to the sacred Temple I shall find him by your favour whom I have lost by my own fault And having once found him O let me never more loose him by my disloyaltie that living here and dying in his sweet embraces I may live with him hereafter and enjoy him eternally in his blessed Kingdom Amen Then end this first part of the Rosary with the Profession of your Faith and the sign of the Cross saying I Believe in God c. with the Prayer To the sacred and undivided Trinity c. as it is set down in the end of the 5. § The second Part of the Rosary containing the Five Dolorous Mysteries Begin this Part of the Rosary with the Prayer sign of the Cross and Creed as in the first Part. The First Dolorous Mystery He Prays THe Agony of Christ whilst he was at his Prayers in the Garden Matth. 26. Christ in the Garden pray's his anguish'd Brest Is in his face through sweats of blood exprest As in the Precedent Joyfull Mysteries we have shew'd that those five principall and common heads comprehended under their signall notions severall particular Joys of the sacred Virgin-Mother so each one of these five generall Dolorous Mysteries like a long chain made up of many links includes a multitude of particularly aggravating circumstances in our dear Redeemers Passion and his holy Mothers compassion which Concatenation of sorrows we shall endeavour as before in the Cohesion of Joys to reduce briefly to Ten Heads or points of Contemplation correspondent to the respective Decades of this second part of the Rosary Our Father c. Our Blessed Saviour was exceedingly sad and sorrowfull 1. At the apprehension of the loss of his corporall life FOr if Death is of all things most horrible to human nature it was surely according to the said human nature much more horrible to him than to any other because his life was of greater dignity than that of all others by reason of its conjunction to the Divinity Hail Mary 2. At the foresight of his sufferings FOr his understanding clearly comprehending the quality and quantity of his approaching pains and torments And his souls eyes efficaciously seeing all the causes of fear and sadness and furthermore he permitting say's S. John Damascen each one of his senses and Powers to act according to its own naturall propertie it must needs follow that as his knowledge was most perfect his sufferings were most excessive Hail Mary 3. At the consideration of Sins heynousness FOr he came to suffer for all the offences of Mankind in generall and for each ones sin past present and to come in particular O the anguish of his soul at the sight of their multitude and malice Hail Mary 4. At the Iewes Ingratitude FOr besides his particular Benefits showr'd down from time to time upon that perverse people he had now borrow'd his humanity from their Blood conversed many years amongst them preached his Gospell unto them wrought infinit Miracles before them And that they after all this should so inhumanly unnaturally ungratefully condemn kill and crucify him was surely a corrosive more bitter to his afflicted heart than death it self Hail Mary 5. At the little profit which Christians would reap from his Passion FOr though the least drop of his precious Blood was abundantly sufficient to redeem not only all men but many worlds yet he well knew how few would make themselves partakers of the fruits thereof And this foreseen sloth negligence and wilfull ingratitude of Christians if we will credit S. Bernard Bonaventure and Hugo more afflicted our dear Redeemer than all the corporall calamities he endur'd on the Cross for them Hail Mary 6. At the Treason of Judas FOr that a Servant should betray his Master a Disciple his Lord an Apostle his Saviour And this by a fraudulent Kiss the sign of peace friendship and affection are circumstances says S. Ambrose much aggravating our Redeemers sorrow Hail Mary 7. At the Scandall scattering and flight of his dearest Disciples friends and followers O the Affliction of his tender heart To see Them whom he lov'd so sincerely Them whom he had serv'd so diligently Them whom he had so lately comforted and confirmed by his long Sermon and so earnestly commended to his Fathers care and custody Them whom he had from time to time fed so efficaciously with his sacred Doctrin and feasted so deliciously with this Blessed Body and Blood in the very last nights Banquet to fly now fearfully from him to be scandaliz'd at him and to seem to doubt of his Divinity And above all to see Peters Ingratitude Infidelity Pusillanimity did surely pierce his Soul with inexplicable sorrow Hail Mary 8. At his taking binding and bringing out of the Garden of Mount Olivet IMagin O my Soul What injuries thy Innocent Saviour here suffer'd by a band of barbarous Souldiers set on by the spitefull Jews ledd on by the Sacrilegious Judas egg'd on by their own malice and fury See how violently they rush upon him binding his armes baring his head beating his body pulling his beard tearing his hair and every way abusing him insulting over him deriding him blaspheming him Hail Mary 9. At his presentation to Annas and Caiphas and the suborning of false witnesses against him O What an affliction To be tryed by such unjust and partiall Judges and to be made guilty by such envious and sinister proceedings Hail Mary 10. At his Blows Buffets and other opprobrious usage all night long FOr when the wearied Ring-leaders and wicked Priests had deliver'd him over to be baited by the rabble of the enraged people O how inhumanly did they handle the meek humble and patient JESUS His face says S. Bonaventure which fills Heaven with Joy is here defiled with loathsom spittle smiten with sacrilegious hands cover'd with mock-hoods c. and nothing was omitted which malice could invent to torment him Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. These prayers Angelicall with bended knee c. Affections Elevations Petitions O holy Jesu the absolute Pattern of heroick Resignation grant that in all the accidents which by the dispensation of your divin providence shall befall me during this my earthly Pilgrimage I may cheerfully cordially affectionately say with you and to you Not my will O my heavenly Father but yours be done O let me have no wishes but that your will may be accomplish'd no desires but that your commands may be obey'd no designes but that you may be faithfully serv'd lov'd prays'd by all creatures Give me O Jesu the gift and spirit of Prayer which is the chief exercise of Religion that in Imitation of your example I may henceforth more seriously addict my self unto it especially in the time of my
great a goodness incense so immense a clemency and inflict fresh wounds upon Gods Son by my continued wickedness Tell me O my soul dost thou truly believe that thy sweet Saviour suffer'd all this for thy sake That he was stripp'd naked to cover thy crimes fastned to a pillar to loose the fetters of thy bondage Whipp'd with cruell rodds to secure thee from the scourges of his Fathers severe Justice all over beaten bruis'd and worried to cure the wounds of thy soul Believest thou all this and hast thou no sense of compassion no feeling of compunction no resolution of correcting thy life cancelling thy sin converting thy self to his love and service who for these very ends and intentions underwent all these wofull torments O meek Jesu seeing you thus patiently bearing all sorts of abuses shall I storm at the least offer'd injury O Son of God! seeing you stripp'd naked in the sight of your Enemies shall I be asham'd to discover my faults before a Priest O sweet Saviour seeing your whol Body torn with whips and your flesh turn'd into as many open mouths as it had wounds to proclaim the love you bear me shall not I open my mouth to manifest your Mercy to admire your goodness to adore your bounty to acknowledg my obligation to testify my compassion to renounce my impiety And since you O my dear Redeemer Spilt all your blood for me shall not I shed one tear for my self and you You O charitable Samaritan permitted your tender skin to be torn from off your back and shoulders with cruell scourges to serve as swathes wherewith to bind up my ulcers You were content O pious Pelican to have the blood drain'd out of your veines to make therewith a precious balsum of oyl and wine for the efficacious cure of my wounds and shall I yet ly dead and buried in the sepulcher of sin and Impenitencie You weep tears of blood over my dead corps and cry out aloud unto my soul with as many Tongues as you endured Torments N. Come forth of thy grave And I cry out to you Dear Jesu the Abysmus of misery calls upon the Abysmus of mercy O when shall I be led out of this loathsom sepulcher when shall this head-kercher of evill customs sinfull habitudes vicious inclinations be unty'd and taken off from my eyes and face which hinder my desired sight and enjoyment of you my dear Saviour Behold I appear upon your summons but yet bound hand and foot and in quality of a guilty Criminall before you my God and my Judg I come creeping as a poor prodigall child and ready to perish to you my pious Father I cast my self at your sacred feet with tears in my eyes contrition in my heart and Confession in my mouth as a Penitent Magdalen O compassionate Saviour unbind and absolve your guilty Criminall Receive and embrace your fearfull Prodigall Comfort and pardon your Penitent Magdalen Apply to me one small drop of your sacred blood and I shall be cured Speak only the word sweet Jesu and my soul shall be saved The third Dolorous Mystery Is Crown'd THe Crowning of Christ our Saviour with Thorns Matth. 27. His sacred Head is pierc'd with pungent thorns And made the subject of ten thousand scorns Our Father c. Our blessed Saviour was evceedingly tormented 1. At the pressing of the sharp-pointed thorns into his sacred Head FOr Pilat having call'd him in derision The King of the Jews the Soldiers at their instigation twisted thorny brakes into the shape of a Crown boysterously placing it upon his bare head and violently pressing it into his skull to encrease his misery and make him a more ridiculous object of all mens mockery Hail Mary 2. At the pulling it off and on WHich was done both upon a pretence of fitting it to his head and also to augment his torments Hail Mary 3. At his cloathing with Purple FOr they sportingly invented all manner of tricks to please their fancies glut their malice and aggravate his miseries Not content therefore to have Crown'd him they would also cloath him as a counterfeit King and so rashing off his garments which were now glu'd to his body with the former goares of blood they scornfully cast a despicable Purple-cloak over his naked shoulders which was a colour us'd by the ancient Kings Hail Mary 4. At the holding a Reed in his right hand THis was intended as a mock Scepter being after the Crown and purple the third Royall Ensign Hail Mary 5. At the scoffing Salutations Genuflexions Adorations ANd the like feigned Actions of Religion and worship whereby the Soldiers and Jews maliciously derided him as blasphemously usurping the title of the divinity Hail Mary 6. At the spitting in his face WHich amongst the Jews was held the greatest contempt injury and disgrace could be put upon any person For as spittle is a superfluous matter whereof the Mouth endeavors to be discharg'd so they reputed our Blessed Redeemer no better than a base despicable wretch and a thing worthy to be cast out from amongst the people Hail Mary 7. At the smiting His head with the Reed WHereby the prickles of the thorny Crown were driven deeper and deeper into his wounded skull and the Blood forc'd out of the new open'd surrows trickled down a fresh upon his neck and forehead which embodying with the beastly spittle wherewith they were before besmeared chang'd our Redeemers sweet countenance which the Angells admiringly contemplate into an object of horror and into the likeness of a Leper most loathsom to be look'd upon Hail Mary 8. At the iterated and multipli'd blow's boxes and buffetings O Barbarous cruelty Was 't not enough to cane his head but you must cuff his cheeks His face and flesh is already one continued tumour by your former stripes the colour of his skin is already metamorphoz'd into blackness and blueness by your former beatings And have you the hearts hard-hearted wretches to add yet more blows to blows more torments to torments O meek Lamb of God! How great is my malice which is the cause of all these your miseries Hail Mary 9. At his being shew'd to the people in such a posture IEsus came forth says the Gospell carrying a Crown of Thorns and a purple garment and Pilate spake to them Behold the Man O prodigious spectacle O Jesu King of Glory what a Crown what a Garment what a Scepter do you here shew for your royall Ensignes Hail Mary 10. At the Iew 's horrid clamors and repeated vociferations OF away with him away with him crucify him crucify him nothing but his death can satisfie their implacable malice O harsh words yet you sustain'd them sweet Saviour to free me from the harsh sentence of eternall death and damnation Hail Mary Glory be to the Father c. These prayers Angelical c. Affections Elevations Petitions O Jesu the beauty of Men and Angels the glory of Heaven and Earth when I behold your venerable head
Petitions O My Soul would'st thou know where thou mayst assuredly find thy sweet Saviour Jesus the desired object of thy dearest affections It is upon Mount Calvary There he feeds upon Gall and Vineger There is his habitation upon the hard Cross There he reposes with extended leggs and stretched forth Arms to have his feet and hands pierced with horrid nayls There and thus he expects thy return from far O prodigall child ready to embrace thee with a Fatherly affection And dost thou see thy sweet Saviour hanging thus on the Cross for thy sake and yet solacest thy self in sinfull delights remainest still wallowing in the mudd and myre of thy wicked customs and not content thy self to commit sin and give scandall to others by thy bad example teachest them lessons of malice to draw them to thy unjust desires and their own utter damnation O sinful wretch Return now at least into thy self turn to thy sweet Saviour and run into the open'd arms and bosom of thy beloved Jesus calling thee alluring thee ready to receive thee He cry's out to thee from his Cross I thirst after thy conversion correction salvation He cry's aloud to awake thee excite thee hasten thee to accept of his proffer'd love before he renders up his life O when will the time come in which they who are buried in the Sepulchers of deadly sin and ly rotting in the graves of their inveterate crimes will hear the voyce of God's Son and hearing it will return to the life of grace if not at this present when he himself dyes to resuscitate them When will earthly souls full of terrestriall affection fear and tremble if they now remain unmoveable when will the Rocks of stony hearts be rent asunder with sorrow if they are now insensible When O my soul will the veil of thy vicious conscience be corn from the top to the bottom by a true confession of thy secret sins if shame and cowardise keeps it now cover'd when Jesus hangs naked on his Cross When will the Sun of thy Pride and vanity be obscured if it now shines when the glorious Sun of Justice shuts his eyes and becomes totally eclypsed O Jesu you call me And it is high time for me to answer to your summons you incline your sacred head towards me to give me a kiss of Peace and to whisper in the ears of my heart and Soul Behold I dy for thee I dy willingly for thee I dy purely for the love of thee And O my heart and Soul What answer do you make O my Jesu my sweet Saviour my dear Redeemer my soverarign Lord and Lover you dy and do I yet live O that I who have hitherto liv'd so little for you and so long for the world That I who have liv'd so long without you in negligence forgetfulness ingratitude That I who have liv'd so long against you in sin Impiety rebellion That I who have employ'd so small a portion of the time and talents you lent me faithfully and sincerely in your love and service O that I might now at least dy for you and with you Or if your providence will have my Pilgrimage yet prolong'd O Let me not live hereafter one moment but only for you and let me rather lose my life than your Love that living and dying I may be entirely yours for all succeeding time and Eternity Amen Then end this second part of the Rosary with the Creed sign of the Cross and Prayer To the sacred and undivided Trinity c. as before in the first part The third Part of the Rosary containing The five Glorious Mysteries Begin with the sign of the Cross Prayer and Creed as formerly The first Glorious Mystery Rises THE Resurrection of our Lord JESUS Mark 16. Our Saviour Rises reindu'd with breath Victorious over Hell and horrid Death These five Principall and common heads of the Glorious Mysteries may be also subdivided into many particular points of contemplation which according to our precedent method in the Joyfull and Dolorous we shall reduce to the number of Ten answerable to the Decades of this third part of the Rosary Our Father c. Our Blessed Redeemer and his sacred Mother exceedingly rejoyced 1. At his Bodyes cloathing with Immortalitie FOr by conquering death it was triumphantly rais'd up to a glorious immortall incorruptible life Hail Mary 2. At the joynt Glorification both of Body and Soul NOt that the Soul of our Blessed Saviour which was absolutly glorious from the first instant of his Conception receiv'd now any new encrease of glory but that the Miracle which retain'd his souls Glory from redounding into his Body did now cease upon this day of his Resurrection So that his Body receiv'd now its hitherto hindred Dowries of Claritie Agility Subtility Impassibility Hail Mary 3. At his exaltation above all creatures 1. THat in the Name of Jesus every knee should bow 2. That by no other means than his merits any one should be saved 3. That he should have all power in Heaven and Earth 4. That he was constituted the Judg of the living and dead All which he deserv'd by his exact obedience to his Eternall Father Hail Mary 4. At his entire victory over all his enemyes FIrst The Jews who having upbrayded him of Impotencie in not descending from the Cross were now utterly confounded at this far greater miracle of his Resurrection from Death 2. The Devill and all the Infernall Powers whose Pride he abated whose Kingdom he invaded whose spoyl's he divided c. Hail Mary 5. At his delivering the Holy Fathers out of Limbus TO wit Abraham Isaac Jacob Moyses David and the rest of the Patriarks Prophets and holy Persons whom he triumphantly led out of their long sustain'd captivity Hail Mary 6. At the now perfected Redemption of mankind FOr his and his mothers present joy and glory were commensurate to their former grief and sorrow undergon in his late cruell death and passion Hail Mary 7. At his being the true cause and perfect exemplar of the future Resurrection of all Mankind FOr as Christ is risen we also shall arise to wit to immortality c. Hail Mary 8. At the filling up the places of fall'n Angells THe Resurrection of our Saviour says S. Gregory was the festivity of the Angells for their number was to be compleated by his calling us to his heavenly Kingdom Hail Mary 9. At the corroboration consolation and confirmation of the Apostles ANd at the Reparation of their Faith Hope and Charity which were not only shaken but even lost and they exceedingly contristated and scandaliz'd at his death Hail Mary 10. At his frequent Apparitions for forty days space TO his dearely beloved Mther To the pious Magdalen and the rest of the devout Women To all his Disciples in generall To S. Thomas in particular wherby he manifested to them the reality of his glorious Resurrection and by them to the whol world Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to
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
Citizens WHo can conceive say's S. Hierom how gloriously the world's Queen this day appeared with what affection the celestiall legions met her with what melodious Canticles she was conducted to her throne of glory with what an amiable and pleasing countenance her dear Son receiv'd her into his divin embraces and plac'd her above all other creatures c. Hail Mary 8. At her being exalted above all the Angelicall Orders and Hierarchies ACcording as the Church sings in her prayses You O sacred mother of God! are exalted above all the Quireâ— of Angells c. Hail Mary 9. At her being placed on her Sons right hand FOr as S. Hierom says we may piously believe that our Saviour seated her next to himself in the throne of his glorious Humanity How els had he accomplish'd what himself commanded Honour thy Father and Mother Hail Mary 10. At her being appointed the powerfull Advocatrix of mankind WE have Her to plead for us says S. Bernard who can suffer no repulse because she found grace with God Let us therefore seek Grace from the Fountain of Grace by the Finder of Grace and whatsoever we offer to the divin Majesty Let us commend it to Mary that so all may return to the Author of Grace by the same channell whereby it ran unto us Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. These prayers Angelicall c. Affections Elevations Petitions O Sacred Virgin-Mother your Deifi'd Soul is not forc'd out of your dying Body by the violence of pains but sweetly leaves it in an extasie of love O how welcom how amiable how desirable is death to a Soul that is well setled in the fear of God and fully confirm'd in the divin love and favour And how easily is that thing quitted without any affliction which is possess'd without overmuch affection Thrice happy he who so prudently regulates the use of life as to be always prepar'd to yeild it up to Death Happy he who patiently cheerfully resignedly endures the inconveniences of this soon-passing Pilgrimage in hope of a never-ending felicity in the heavenly Paradise Happy he who willingly deprives himself of this worlds most pleasing contentments upon confidence of laying up therby more solid pleasures in the Magazin of Eternity O glorious Virgin who have left me so perfect a Pattern of living vertuously and of dying happily Assist me I beseech you both in the one and the other I humbly acknowledg to my own great shame and sorrow that my life hath been hitherto far wide from the Imitation of your holy example But O pious Mother passing by my former indignity and pittying my present necessity take my perishing cause into your maternall consideration strengthen my Resolution of living vertuously for the future and assist me in that dreadfull hour of my deaths agony O let your Prayers patronage and protection then fortifie my Faith in its apprehension of the approaching Eternity Encourage my Hope in its consideration of the severe Judgment then near at hand and inflame my Charity in its last tendency to the long desired object of my Soul I now contemplate you great Empress seated there above in a throne of Majesty and satiated with the fulness of glory and felicity And I also consider you the still compassionate Mother the powerfull Mediatrix the pious Advocatrix of poor Mankind Wherefore I humbly begg for the love of your holy Son JESUS and by all that is dear to you in Heaven and Earth leave me not in that last hour but cast then your Eyes of mercy and favour upon me so shall I not doubt to be translated from a temporall death to an Eternall life and to remain perpetually with you in the perfect enjoyment of that fountain of life and love to which you are happily assumpted The fifth Glorious Mysterie Is Crown'd THE Coronation of the Blessed Virgin in Heaven The blest Promotress of all Chast desires Is Crowned Queen of th'Celestiall Quires Our Father c. THE Blessed Virgin Mothers Soul was fill'd with inexplicable joy 1. At her being seated upon a Royall throne in the celestiall glory WHere says S. Hierom the Immaculat Virgin-Mother was triumphantly plac'd next to her glorious Son Jesus in the celestiall Palace A Throne of Kingly glory says S. Augustin is prepar'd for you O great Queen-Mother in the Court of the heavenly Kingdom Hail Mary 2. At her being cloathed with Royall Garments ACcording to that saying of the Psalmist The Queen stood on thy right hand in a vesture of gold wrought about with divers colours Whereupon Saint Bernard extasiedly exclaims Gods Mother the worlds Lady Heavens Queen is elevated to the Eternall Fathers Throne and seated next to the sacred Trinity Where she stands on the Kings right hand in a golden garment To wit a body most pure and unspotted encompassed with variety that is a Soul enamell'd with all sorts of vertues Hail Mary 3. At her being adorn'd with Royall Iewells Ear-rings and Bracelets TO wit the Plenitud of all Prudence Science and Intelligence in her Soul and of Clarity Subtility Impassibility in her Body Hail Mary 4. At her being honor'd with a Royall Ring TO wit In her Soul which was the singular Spouse of the Eternall King a singular Joy Glory and felicity And in her Body which was singularly Instrumentall in the Eternall Words Incarnation a singular beauty Hail Mary 5. At her being grac'd with a Royall Scepter TO wit in her Soul by a speciall Power which was given her in Heaven and Earth and in her Body by a speciall prerogative of glory Hail Mary 6 At her being deck'd with a royall crown TO wit first with a generall Crown which is the substantiall and essentiall reward of Eternall glory and Beatitude consisting in the clear vision the perpetuall Fruition and the perfect possession of the Divinity This Crown corresponds to the three-fold Theologicall vertues in the Soul To Faith succeeds vision To Charity Fruition To Hope Possession Now as the sacred Virgin excells here all others in these vertues so her Crown out-shines there all others in Glory Hail Mary 7. At her being crown'd with the silver Aureola of Virgins FOr she being the Immaculat Mother of God and the unspotted Queen of all Virgins having none like her in the first nor any to parallell her in the Second is adorn'd with a Crown as far surpassing the Aureola's of other virgins as the Suns brightness excells that of the lesser Starrs Hail Mary 8. At her being crown'd with the golden Aureola of Martyrs FOr as She endured more than all Martyrs when the sword of sorrow pierc'd her heart at the time of her Sons Passion so she deserv'd a Crown above all Martyrs correspondent to her sufferings Hail Mary 9. At her being crown'd with the Starrie Aureola of Doctors FOr they who instruct others to Justice says the Prophet Daniel shall shine as Stars in perpetuall Eternity Now the sacred Virgin was the Teacher and
Instructer of the Apostles and therefore is described by S. John in his Revelations with a Crown of twelve Starrs upon her head Hail Mary 10. At her being crown'd with the verdant and perpetually florishing Aureola of Innocency Purity FOr as she was of such extraordinary Purity that under God-man a greater cannot be conceiv'd says Saint Anselm And of such unimitable Innocency that from the first instant of her Conception to the last moment of her life She preserv'd it absolutely entire without the least spot or blemish so She enjoyes a Crown of extraordinary Clarity far above all others the same God-man only excepted Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Ghost c. These Prayers Angelicall c. Affections Elevations Petitions O King of Glory How great is your bounty and how excessive is your liberality You confer upon men whol Torrents of pleasurs and full Oceans of delights for their Cups of cold water given for your sake You bestow on thē magnificent Crowns and blessed Kingdoms for their morsells of bread bestow'd upon their necessitous brethren And shall we question whether your own dear Mother whose pure Blood gave your Body its Being in whose chast entralls you so long lodged upon whose Breast-milk you so sweetly fed is now highly rewarded by you in heaven She cloath'd you O word Eternall and Incarnate with the robes of her Humanity and can we doubt but that you have vested her with the light of your Heavenly glory and crown'd her with the glittering Jewells of Wisdom Power Dominion and whatsoever may beseem the Soveraign Empress of Men and Angells O Virgin O Mother How great is your Glory How singular your Honor How Eminent your Dignity Since you are the Mother of Grace which is God himself you are seated on the right hand of God himself in his Glory Since you have the advantagious quality above all creatures of being Gods Mother you surely have an advantagious Crown above all Creatures which constitutes you Queen of Heaven For to what Woman besides your happyest self Or to which of the Angells howsoever high holy and perfect did euer God say you are my Mother you begot me bore me brought me forth O Mother of God! O Title of Titles O words few in number but full of numberless Mysteries and miracles O Quality containing all the Abyssall perfections which can possibly fall within the compass of Mens and Angells Imagination thinking upon a pure creature Mother of God! Be you praysed honoured and admired next to your Son Jesus by all Creatures in Heaven and Earth for evermore You have sufficiently shew'd me O sacred Mother by your divin example the ready way to reall glory and happiness Which is To prefer Gods honour love and service before all things els whatsoever But alas How Poorly have I hitherto practis'd your instructions and how ill have I imitated your examples Your continuall Exercise was to magnifie the Divin Majesty with heart and mouth and therefore you have deserv'd to be blessed prays'd and proclaim'd happie by all succeeding generations because the Almighty wrought great things in you placing you upon the worlds Theater as the Prime work of his hands and the most accomplish'd pattern of all created perfections But I on the contrary have made small account of God and his service and how then can I expect to obtain the blessing of him others or hope he should effect great things in me by me for me Yet if he and all others call me not blessed in the last great Judgment day I must remain accursed for all Eternity And if he work not great things in me what can all other things avail me in order to my happiness Ha! How long then shall my affection be fastned to falshoods follies vanities How long shall my soul be enslav'd to these sordid passions and to the base customs of my corrupted nature which are repugnant to Reason contrary to my Creators Law opposite to his profer'd grace destructive of my expected glory O my Lord and my God! I will no longer forget you I will even now begin to praise you with heart and mouth in all before all above all your only love honour and service shall be the first in my esteem the first in my affections the first in my actions For alas what els have I to esteem desire love in Heaven and Earth but you the God of my heart my soveraign good my All for time and Eternity And thou my poor Soul Take courage Eternity draws on Thy glorious Mother with millions of blessed Saints and Angells more beautifull than so many Suns in the mid-day of their brightness invites thee to be with her satiated with her Sons amiable countenance and absorp'd in the boundless Sea of his beatifying delights Thy beloved Lord himself expects thee with a Crown of evelasting rewards in his right hand and with these sweetly alluring words in his sacred mouth Come my Love my Dove my Fair one come thou shalt be crown'd for having serv'd me faithfully lov'd me fervently suffer'd for me freely and accomplish'd my will fully Live henceforth with me eternally in Satiety and security THE FIRST APPENDIX JESVS Or the Confraternity of the most sacred Name of JESUS With Elevations sutable thereunto IN so much as there is a certain pious Fraternity of the most holy Name of Jesus which had its first rise and origin from that of the sacred Rosary Et ex illa tanquam ex Matre filia prognata sit being as it were the Daughter of that Mother and to which it is so firmly fastned and so neerly allied as that generally in Catholique Countreys all they who are children of the Blessed Mothers Rosary are also thus Members of the Son's Society It will not be amiss after this large Declaration of the Rosary to annect a brief description of this Confraternity that so nothing may be wanting which may conduce to the devotion of faithfull Christians and enrich them with spirituall Benefits This pious Confraternity of the sacred Name of Jesus was begun in Italy by Didacus a Victoria a Doctor of Divinity and devout Preacher of S. Dominicks order in the year 1564. and soon after promulgated throughout Spain by Joannes Micon who was another learned Doctor and zealous Preacher of the same Order the Disciple of that Blessed and famous man Ludovicus Bertrandus The Reason and End of the Institution thereof was to extirpate that execrable and then Customary vice of Swearing by Gods holy Name and blaspheming the divin Majesty The Rules of this Confraternity are these 1. They who desire to be of it are either to have their Names enrolled into a Book provided for that purpose as it is said of the Rosary or to be admitted into this Confraternity by such as have power from the Superiors of Saint Dominick's Order by some other legall lawfull and formall way 2. Upon the day of our Redeemers Circumcision which
down his holy Spirit upon his Apostles and the rest of his chosen children to instruct them in his will to encourage them in their duties to confirm them in their Faith to assist them in their preaching to strengthen them in their persecutions O Iesu send also your holy Spirit to cure cleanse and comfort my sick sinfull and sad soul adorn each corner of my interiour with your divin love and grace that you sacred Spirit may find there a sweet and gratefull habitation rule reign and remain in my heart O Iesu King of Glory for evermore Our Father O Sacred Virgin-Mother whose soul was dilated with such unspeakable joy and sweetness in the glorious Resurrection and admirable Ascention of your divin Son JESUS appease him I beseech you in my behalf by your powerfull Prayers and Intercession Hail Mary Conclude this holy Crown with that Apostles Creed saying I believe in God c. Thirty-three Elevations and Petitions to Jesus our blessed Redeemer in honour of the Thirty-three year 's of his holy Life 1. O Good Jesu the word of the Father convert me 2. O Good Jesu the lamb of God! puryfie me 3. O Good Jesu my Master teach me 4. O Good Jesu the Prince of Peace govern me 5. O Good Jesu the sure hope of penitent Sinners behold me 6. O Good Jesu my Refuge defend me 7. O Good Jesu my Instructor direct me 8. O Good Jesu my Patience comfort me 9. O good Jesu the chief Comforter of sad Souls refresh me 10. O good Jesu my Redeemer save me 11. O good Jesu my Lord and my God! possess me 12. O good Jesu the life the way and the truth enliven me 13. O good Jesu my firm Foundation strengthen me 14. O good Jesu the light of the world illuminate me 15. O good Jesu my Justice justifie me 16. O good Jesu my Mediator sanctifie me 17. O good Jesu the Physitian of my soul heal me 18. O good Jesu my Judg absolve me 19. O good Jesu the Son of Justice shine upon me 20. O good Jesu my King deliver me 21. O good Jesu Son of David pitty me 22. O good Jesu my sanctification cleanse me 23. O good Jesu the living bread descending from Heaven satiate me 24. O good Jesu the wine bringing forth Virgins inebriate me 25. O good Jesu my Father bless me 26. O good Iesu the only joy of my heart visit me 27. O good Iesu my Helper assist me 28. O good Iesu my Protector protect me 29. O good Iesu my Love transform me 30. O good Iesu my Propitiation hide me in your wounds 31. O good Iesu the faithfull Shepheard feed me 32. O good Iesu the eternal Life receive me into the number of your Elect. 33. O good Iesu my Glory gloryfie me An Advertisement to them of the sacred Confraternity of the holy name of IESUS AFter the recitall of the Rosary of Jesus or Crown of our Lord and these Thirty-three Petitions in honour of the Thirty-three years of his holy life you may make use of some of the following Elevations to Jesus Christ our Lord and to the holy Trinity according as your opportunity and devotion shall dictate unto you and not as any part belonging to the said Rosary of Iesus which contains nothing more than what is before prescribed and expressed for though they may be practis'd with very great spiritual profit by all faithful Christians as containing a most eminent sublime and heroick manner of offring up our selv's to the divin Majesty yet the frequent use thereof is especially proper to the members of this sacred Confraternity who above all others ought to adore Gods greatness admire his goodness extoll his mercies and dedicate themselv's to his perpetuall service by the continuall remembrance of the mysteries of his Life and Incarnation which is the end of their devout Confraternity and the drift of these divin Elevations ELEVATIONS TO JESVS CHRIST our Lord In honour of his severall Estates and of the singular Mysterries of his Life TO ADORE The supream greatness of JESUS And to offer our selv's to him in way of humble servitude and absolute dependency which is due to him in consequence of the ineffable Union of the Divinitie with our Humanity 1. The Eternall Greatness of the word Incarnate O IESU my Lord King of Angels Redeemer of Men Soveraign of the Universe only Son of God only Son of the Virgin Born from all Eternity in the Eternall Fathers bosom and in times fullness born of the Virgin Mary true God true Man I adore you in your eternall and your temporall Greatness in your divin and human Fullness in your created and uncreated Highness You are the second Person of the sacred Trinity but equall to the First and origin of the Third you are the Splendor and Glory of the eternall Father you are his power and his wisdom you are his lively Image and perfect resemblance you are his only Son and his eternall word you are God of God Light of Light 2. The Equality and Consubstantiality of the Divin Persons in a perfect distinction is a wonder in God himself YOU are in these Greatnesses by Birth Such a Birth which Equalls the Power and Paternity of him who is your Father and which is one and the same thing with the Divinity A wonder not in the world but in Eternity not in the created but uncreated Being and the Prime wonder of Eternity For you are the first Production of the Eternall Father and source of the last And by this wonderfull Birth you are Infinit as he is All-powerfull is he is God as he is Beginning and Originall of a Divin Person as he is Nor is there any other difference but that in one self-same Divinity in one equall Eternity in one semblable Majesty He is Father and you are Son you are Son but without inequality without posteriority you are Son yet of even antiquity of equall authority with him and Eternall God as he is You are Son but without diversity of Essence or of Power or of Wisdom having the unity of Essence with the diversity of Subsistency in which you are one only God with him you are adored as he is and you are the Creator Conserver and Commander of the whol world as he is 3. God low's himself to us and makes himself one of us THese Greatnesses dazle our souls we cannot look upon them from out our Earths obscurity They are to be adored not beheld and we must vail our faces in the presence of this divin object as did the Angells by Isay's relation in the sight of your Throne But you are willing to exercise you mercy's upon us you will cast a cover upon your self and render your self visible to our weak spirits and to our mortall aspects you will stoop down to us and become accessible and by a Councill which even ravishes us with wonder you will come neer us and make your self as one of us For O
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
mortall infirm and miserable life upon â—arth and depressing this humanity thus united to the Word in the state and mysterie of your mortall wayfaring unregarded and suffering life for this Humanity being in this sort elevated into the Throne and estate of a divin Person should not have been in any other condition than of Glory and Splendour Of Splendour I say befitting the Divinity to which it is inseparably united And yet O Love O Bounty you depress it for me even to an estate and form of an humble life and serving your own creatures and at last even to the opprobrious cruell and servill punishment of the Cross 13. An Oblation of our selv's to Jesus in honour of this his double estate of being a servant THerfore in honour of this double estate and form of servant unto which you have been pleas'd to reduce your Supream Greatness I offer and present my self unto you O Jesu I render my self for ever a Slave to you and to your Adorable Humanity I render my self Slave to your Love Slave to your Greatness and Slave to your depressions I embrace this condition and make it universally and totally subjecting all whatsoever is in me For my will is that all that which I am my will is that my life of nature and of grace and all my actions be yours and your sacred Humanities as things belonging to it in a new manner by this qualitie and condition of servitude towards it which I now here offer And I require that my life my estate and my Soul carry a Particular badge of this my belonging dependency and servitude to you and to your Humanity thus Deifi'd and thus depressed both together 14. The Continuance of this Oblation of Servitude AND could I but come to the knowledge of any estate and reference of my self towards you more dependent of you and any relation more humble and more strict than this of bondage and servitude I would forthwith embrace it therby to refer my self to you as a thing due both to the greatness of the estate to which your Humanity is elevated by the Hypostaticall union as also the excess of its love and of that voluntarie depression whereunto it humbled and annihilated it self for my salvation and for my glorie 15. A confirmation of this our Oblation of Servitude BUT alas what shall I do your greatnesses are permanent our duties of Fealtie are perpetuall and I come late to these lights and yet they also are unsteady and our minds do easily permit themselv's to be diverted from things so great so worthy and so just But I will confirm my self in these verities and in these Intentions I will repair the time past I will render my self yours even for all that time in which I might have known you and might have serv'd you I will bequeath unto you for ever all that I am and all that I can I will that all that which is in me reflect towards you and serve you only and perfectly I will have no other conduct motion or sense but by you and for you And I will that in vertu of this present cogitation intention and oblation each moment of my life and each action of the same appertain to you O Jesu and to your sacred Humanity as if I made a particular tender of them all unto you 16. An ardent desire of an inseparable union with Christ O Only Son of God! The Tye wherby you have fastn'd your self to us is indissoluble nor was Death which you suffred nor Hell which you entred nor Mens sins which you carryed able to break it I would also make with you an indissoluble knot O Jesu my Lord You can grant me this favour And that on my part I may dispose my self thereto I Adore you in the unity you have with the Father Unity which renders you inseparable from him I adore you in the Union which you have with us Union so strong that nothing can dissolve it Union so inward that it cannot be more intrinsecall and immediate since that it penetrates even to the bottom of human Being In the honour and in the efficacy of this union I offer up to you this my desire of being united to you for evermore And I make irrevocable as much as possibly I may this my Oblation Donation and servitude to you and to your humanity as being holy and sacred by reason of your Divinity it self which is substantially and personally resident therein 17. The Humanity of Jesus is the Temple of the Divinity O Holy Humanity you are the Temple of the Divinity and even so he calls you who chose you for himself and united you to himself and who hath the words of life for he said to the Jews Dissolve this Temple and I will in three days build it up again And those gross and materiall minds apply'd this discours to their Temple and to their stones But O Jesu according to your own Apostle you spake of another Temple of the Temple of your body A Temple principall singular and particular of the Divinity which was pleas'd to choose this Body this Humanity to triumph in it and by it and render it self visible in its greatnesses in the midd'st of the Earth 18. What great things are wrought in this Humanety THE Divinity therfore reposeth in you O sacred Humanity as in its Temple Temple living and animated Temple consecrated by the unction of the Divinity it self which is present subsistent and living in you to take up there its repose to be there acknowledg'd and ador'd and there to operate divin and adorable actions And it reposeth in this Humanity more holily more divinly and more admirably than even in the order and state of glory And it cooperats there things more high and more great than it doth in Heaven For we see that in it God is Man and Man is God God is born and dying God is living and suffering and Man-God is satisfying in the tearms of Justice to the Divin Justice A thing far surpassing all present and possible condition of Grace and Glory 19. This Humanity is holy by the Divinity it self which is a substantiall sanctity flowing from him into himself and thence into us I Also Reverence and Adore you O sacred Humanity as the most holy thing after God which God himself finds amongst the Treasures of his Wisdom and amongst the unexhaustible depths of his absolute power For notwithstanding that you resemble us in nature you are not like to us in Grace because the Grace and Sanctity which is proper to you is not such as is proper to Angells and men which though it were infinitly multiply'd could never arrive to the shadow of your sanctity but would be still infinitly distant But you are holy with a holiness incomparably higher with a holiness proper to your self with a holiness which is adorable with a holiness issuing from the divin Essence and Person as from its act and from its proper
name of JESUS 6. He nourish'd fed and maintain'd Him with the sweat of his brows and labour of his hands who affords food and sustenance to all living Creatures And cloathed him who furnished the Lillyes Roses and flowers of the Field with all their beautifull Robes and Ornaments 7. He was in some sort the saver of his Saviour by sheltring little Jesus from Herods rage and crueltie and stepping aside with him into Egypt whilst the Innocents bought the palm of Martyrdom with the price of their blood 8. He commanded him who commands all earthly Princes and Monarchs and had him obedient to the beck of his hand to the nod of his head to the twinkle of his eye and to the sound of his voyce before whom the Powers of Heaven fall down and tremble O the admirable power of S. Joseph O the adorable subjection of Jesus O the sublimâ—tie of Joseph to command Jesus O the Humility of Jesus to obey Joseph 9. He possessed and practis'd all vertues in their perfection especially Humility as being to passe the remainder of his days in her company who being the greatest was the most humble of all pure creatures And in his companie who being the Son of the most high made himself the least and lowest amongst the Sons of men Nor can S. Josephs vertues perfections and Greatnesses be comprehended and measur'd by any better means than by the greatnesses of Jesus and Mary to whom he was so strictly allied For he wâ—… Mary's true Husband and consequently the true and legall though not the carnall and naturall Father oâ— Jesus O what Communications oâ— affections what extasies of spirit what unions of hearts was there amongst these Three JESUS MARIA JOSEPH Now since God give grace proportionable to each one place vocation and office surely a S. Joseph's Office was exceeding great so was his grace vertu and perfection great excellent and heroique 10. He was as the Fathers pioufly and probably believe elevated to Heaven both in Body and Soul upon the day of his glorious Sons triumphanâ— Ascension and remains there inthron'd next to the Humanity of Jesus and the Virgin Mary in the Celestiall Kingdom as he was neerest and dearest unto them during the time oâ— their earthly Pilgrimage 11. He is the faithfull powerfull and charitable Protector and Advocate of his devout children and clients in the Court of Heaven as having so great credit with his Son King Jesus and his Spouse Queen Mary that his demands may seem in some sort to be commands and his Petitions being presented to the Throne of Mercy with a Fathers confidence and authority will not easily be rejected by Jesus in Heaven who was so obedient to Joseph upon Earth 12. He is the chief Patron of all Contemplatives and the Great Master Guide and Director of the Interiour hidden and Spirituall life S. Teresa happily experienc'd this verity and frequently expressed it saying They that cannot meet with a Master to instruct them in the manner of their Prayer Let them take the Glorious Saint Joseph for their Teacher and Tutor and they shall infallibly find the safe and secure way to solid Sanctity and perfection A SHORT ROSARY IN THE HONOR OF S. JOSEPH CONTAINING The principall Mysteries of his Life drawn out of the precedent Excellencies and distinguished into Five Tens or Decades Begin also this Rosary with the sign of the Cross and the Creed The first Decade Of his Election SAint JOSEPH was chosen in the Councill of Gods Eternall Wisdom and Providence to be the worthy Bridegroom of Mary and the â—…puted Father of JESUS Our Father c. 1. He was the highest and holiest of the Patriarchs Hail Mary 2. He descended from the Royall Progenie of David Hail Mary 3. He was particuarly prefigur'd by Joseph the deliverer of Egypt Hail Mary 4. He was sanctifi'd in his Mothers â—omb Hail Mary 5. He was confirm'd in Grace and Vertu Hail Mary 6. He was a Just man by the testimony of the Holy Gospell Hail Mary 7. He was instructed from Heaven in the Mystery of Incarnation Hail Mary 8. He was indu'd with the plenty of all spirituall blessings Hail Mary 9. He was enriched with gifts and qualities both naturall and supernaturall sutable to the sacred charge for which he was design'd Hail Mary 10. He was the first after the Virgin-Mother who by Vow consecrated his Virginity to the Divin Majesty Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Ghost c. These Prayers Angelicall c. As in the Great Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Second Decade Of his place office and dignity SAint Joseph was appointed the Head Governour and Steward of Gods Family upon Earth Our Father c. 1. He was espoused to the sacred Virgin Mary Hail Mary 2. He was the Guardian and witness of her Virginity and allotted by Divin Providence to be her Counsellor Comforter and Companion upon all occations Hail Mary 3. He was her faithfull Assistant in her journey to Bethleem Hail Mary 4. He found out the Stable for her harbour when the Innes refused to entertain her Hail Mary 5. He was present at our Redeemer's happy Birth into the world Hail Mary 6. He help'd the holy Virgin-Mother to swath him cloath him and cradle him in the Maâ—ger Hail Mary 7. He was the first who with the extasi'd Mother had the honour to adore the New-born Man-God Hail Mary 8. He concurr'd with the sacred Virgin to Christs Circumcision and together with her impos'd upon him the sweet Name of JESUS Hail Mary 9. He was reverenc'd by the Eastern Kings when they offer'd their Royall Presents to his reputed Son JESUS Hail Mary 10. He with his Virgin-Spouse presented JESUS to his Eternall Father in the Temple Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost c. These Prayers Angelicall c. The third Decade Of his Flight into Egypt SAint JOSEPH took the yong Child and Mary his Mother and departed into Egypt so preserving Jesus from Herods cruelty who sought to oppress him in his Infancy Our Father c. 1. He readily resignedly and in the night season obey'd the Angells admonition Hail Mary 2. He cheerfully undertook a long tedious and troublesom journey into an unknown Countrey Hail Mary 3. He patiently endur'd with Jesus and Mary a seven years banishment Hail Mary 4. He provided food for him with the sweat of his brows and labour of his hands who affoards food to all living Creatures Hail Mary 5. He cloath'd him who cloathes the flowers of the field Hail Mary 6. He next to the sacred Virgin was the most ardent of all Jesus's lovers serving him in his Exile with more than Seraphicall affection Hail Mary 7. He lov'd the sacred Virgin with a naturall affection in respect of her eminent perfections with an acquired affection in respect of her reciprocall favours with a supernaturall affection in respect of her celestiall
dignity Hail Mary 8. He was an Instrumentall Cooperator with God in his great design of mans Redemption Hail Mary 9. He was in some sort the Saver of his Saviour by sheltring him from his enemy's Tyranny Hail Mary 10. His life was a continued Contemplation Recollection and Extasy in the perpetuall presence of Gods Son and Gods Mother Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost c. These Prayers Angelicall c. The fourth Decade Of his return from Egypt and of his Death SAint JOSEPH inform'd by Angelicall Revelation of Herods death returns home with Jesus and Mary Our Father c. 1. He Jesus and Mary after their banishment dwell together in Nazareth Hail Mary 2. He conducted Jesus when he was twelve years old to the Temple in Jerusalem Hail Mary 3. He there lost Jesus to his unspeakable grief and sorrow Hail Mary 4. He retriv'd him after three days enquiry sitting amongst the Doctors Hail Mary 5. He reconducts him home to Nazareth where Jesus the great Monarch of both worlds was subject and obedient to Joseph's command Hail Mary 6. And as he had the Priviledg to enjoy the Innocent embraces of Jesus in his childhood so he had the honour to enjoy his holy entertainments in his riper years and his divin actions examples and instructions in his perfect age Hail Mary 7. He also had the honour to govern the sacred family of Jesus and Mary for thirty years space Hail Mary 8. He had the happiness to be assisted by Jesus and Mary in his last Agony Hail Mary 9. Having compleated the course of his Earthly Pilgrimage he chang'd this life for Eternity Hail Mary 10. He sweetly breath'd forth his soul in a high act of sigh and love in the sacred embraces of Jesus and Mary Hail Mary Glory be to the Father c. These Prayers Angelicall c. The fifth Decade Of his Glory SAint JOSEPH was elevated to Heaven upon the day of his Son 's triumphant Resurrection Our Father c. 1. He is inthron'd there above next to Jesus and Mary as he was here below neerest and dearest unto them Hail Mary 2. He is adorn'd with a Garland of virginity for having preserv'd it unblemisht to his last breath Hail Mary 3. He is enobled with the Aureola of Doctorship for having instructed the ignorant and particularly the Egyptians in the time of his so journing amongst them Hail Mary 4. He is rewarded with a Crown of Martyrdom for having hazarded his life for his Sons preservation Hail Mary 5. He is a Powerfull Protector of all them who are particularly devoted unto him as having great credit with the All powerfull Jesus Hail Mary 6. He is the generall Patron of the Church Militant as being the speciall Favourite of its head Christ Jesus Hail Mary 7. He bears a singular affection to all that sincerely love Jesus and Mary as being so neerly allyed unto them Hail Mary 8. His Petitions are presented to the Throne of Mercy with a Fathers confidence and his Requests will not easily be rejected by Jesus in heaven who was so obedient to Joseph upon earth Hail Mary 9. He is the chief Patron of all Contemplatives Hail Mary 10. He is the great Master Guide and Directors of the Interiour hidden and spirituall life Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to Holy Ghost c. These Prayers Angelicall with bended knee c. Credo c. as in the great Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary Conclude this Rosary with these ensuing Elevations ELEVATIONS TO S. JOSEPH TO Honour God in him and him in God in his Dignity of being the reputed FATHER of the Word Incarnate and the BRIDEGROOM of the Blessed Virgin MARIE And to offer up our selv's to him in the state of dependencie which is due to him upon these titles and to correspond by our inward devotion to that power which he hath over us by consequence of the power he had over the Son and Mother of GOD. GReat and glorious Patriarch Saint Joseph The worthy Bridegroom of Mary and esteemed Father of Jesus In the honour of Gods beholding and electing you in the Councill of his Eternall Wisdom and of his placing you at the time appointed by his divin Providence in these two high and sublime estates In honour and union of all the singular graces prerogatives priviledges and perfections which he plentifully heap'd upon you in order to render you capable of these eminent offices and undertakings In honour and union of your souls extraordinary sanctity of your Bodies virginall Purity of your profound humilitie of your perfect Obedience of your voluntary Povertie and of all the rest of your consummated vertues In honour and union of your dear affection to Jesus and Mary of the continuall application of your spirit towards these two divin objects of the tenderness of your devotion unto them and of your silent solitarie retired recollected and contemplative life with them In honour and union of all the services you rendred to the Word Incarnate in the state and order of his hypostaticall postaticall union with our nature In honour and union of that last Act and sigh of love wherein you sweetly breath'd forth your faithfull soul in the embraces of Jesus and Mary your divin Son and dear Spouse In honour homage and union of all your other Greatnesses and especially of the right power and jurisdiction you had over Jesus and Mary in quality of Father and husband and of the subjection obedience and duty they rendred you Finally in acknowledgment of your having been establish'd the Head the Steward and the Director of Gods Family upon Earth The Father the Tutor and the Trainer up of Jesus the Bridegroom the Guardian and the Helper of the holy Virgin Mary I do now choose you O great and glorious Patriarch for my particular Patron for my powerfull Protector for my pious Father and for my chief Soveraign next after Jesus and Mary And upon this score I do here yeild and resign unto you all the power I have over my self desiring to become your servant and Bondslave willing to submit my self to you as my Saviour Jesus was subject unto you and begging your leave to place all the future transactions motions and passages of my life during this my earthly Pilgrimage under your sacred conduct government and protection Make me worthy O glorious Father by your merits to become with you a faithfull Member of Jesus and Maries Family and to be thereunto firmely and intimately united associated and incorporated by Grace and Sanctity And obtain for me by your powerfull intercession that I may never be separated from sweet Jesus and Mary in my life in my death in my Eternity Take also O powerfull Protector the last moment of my life that Moment which must decide my Eternity into your pious care and Custody Assist me then I beseech you in that harsh Passage
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
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
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
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